Subsequently, the Executive Committee decided to approve, on an exceptional basis, the project to enhance the energy efficiency in the manufacturing of air conditioners in Thailand, in the amount of US $3,878,647, plus agency support costs of US $271,505, for the World Bank, noting:
- That the Government of Thailand would revise the minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) by 1 January 2030, on the basis of the market survey and agreement with the relevant national stakeholders;
- That most air-conditioner manufacturing enterprises participating in the project were in the process of converting from R-410A to HFC-32 and would complete their conversion in line with national regulations being implemented under stage I of the country’s Kigali HFC implementation plan (KIP);
- That the Government of Thailand had committed to undertake the activities referred to in subparagraphs (i) to (vii) below:
- In line with paragraph 36 of document UNEP/OzL.Pro/ExCom/94/61, to ensure that project implementation was operationally completed no later than 36 months from the date of approval and to return the funding relating to the additional component costs and any other remaining balances that had not already been obligated if the project was not completed within 36 months;
- In line with paragraph 37 of document UNEP/OzL.Pro/ExCom/94/61, to ensure that the beneficiary enterprises would manufacture, after project completion, equipment with at least the target energy-efficiency performance and would continue to make their best efforts to continue to improve the energy efficiency of the products beyond the project implementation duration at their own cost, noting that the performance of equipment manufactured by the enterprises would be monitored, for a period of two years from the date of completion of the project, by the national ozone unit and the World Bank, through appropriate mechanisms;
- In line with paragraph 38 of document UNEP/OzL.Pro/ExCom/94/61, to ensure the periodic upgrading of MEPS regulations, labelling programmes and awareness and outreach activities to ensure that the target energy-efficiency levels under the project for the equipment were publicized among different stakeholders, and to take steps to implement, within three years after the date of completion of the project, regulations to ensure that the manufacturing, import and sale of the equipment achieved at least the target energy-efficiency performance levels, at least three years after the date of completion of the project;
- To implement awareness and outreach initiatives, including through ongoing activities under stage III of the HCFC phase‑out management plan and stage I of the KIP, to publicize the activities undertaken under the project, including implementation timelines for MEPS for air conditioners, coordination with stakeholders and alignment with other national or regional programmes promoting energy-efficient refrigeration, air‑conditioning and heat‑pump technologies;
- To the extent feasible, to introduce and implement other complementary policies and measures that promoted the adoption of energy‑efficient equipment in air‑conditioning applications, ensuring long-term sustainability for project beneficiaries, which would include work with industry associations, energy service company associations and other stakeholders, to promote the adoption of energy‑efficient air-conditioning equipment;
- To ensure timely implementation both of the projects in stage I of the KIP and of the proposed energy-efficiency initiatives, in accordance with agreed timelines, policies and regulatory frameworks;
- To submit a detailed report on the implementation of the project, including the additional capital and component costs incurred for the models covered in the project, the energy-efficiency gains accrued and the challenges faced while implementing the project;
- That the project would be operationally completed no later than 30 June 2029, and that a detailed project report would be submitted to the Executive Committee within six months of the date of completion of the project;
- That the Government of Thailand, through the World Bank, would submit to the first meeting of the year, starting in 2028, an annual update on the status of its revision of the MEPS for air conditioners until the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand Label 5 levels of three stars or above were met; and
- That, if the Government did not comply with the conditions specified in subparagraphs (c)(i) to (vii) above, the Executive Committee would take that into account when considering future projects submitted by Thailand that were unrelated to compliance.