Latin America

Latin America Energy Program

We provide country-specific technical support for the development of energy efficiency standards and complementary programs for a wide range of products.

Our Work

Over the past decade, countries in Latin America have shown increasing interest in developing and implementing energy efficiency programs. Nevertheless, a large portion of energy savings potential remains untapped (see BUENAS analysis of cost effective and technical potential). The lack of technical capacity has been recognized as a major barrier to the implementation of effective energy efficiency policies.

In Latin America, ETA researchers work with policymakers and local partners to develop high quality inputs to support energy efficiency policy for appliances.

As part of its technical assistance and technical exchange activities, we:

  • Train policymakers on the design of energy efficiency policies and programs;
  • Advise on the development of national and regional energy efficiency policies and programs
  • Provide methods and analysis to evaluate impacts from energy efficiency policies and programs
Argentina

Argentina joined the Super-efficient Equipment and Appliance Deployment (SEAD) initiative in July 2017. As the technical lead of the SEAD initiative, Berkeley Lab provides technical assistance to the Argentinian government focusing on Appliance Energy Efficiency. In particular, we provide methodology and tools to support Argentina's Appliance Efficiency Standards program with robust impact analysis in the style of US DOE's Appliance and Equipment Standard program.

After participating in the 2nd National Day of Energy Efficiency in Buenos Aires in November 2017, Berkeley Lab has been working closely with the Sub-Secretariat of Energy Savings and Energy Efficiency at the Ministry of Energy and Mining (MINEM) to deploy a cost-benefit analytical tool to support a future regulation on energy efficient air conditioners.

Brazil

In Brazil, Berkeley Lab works with the Institute for Climate and Society (iCS), who coordinates the Clean Cooling Collaborative (formerly K-CEP), to strengthen energy efficiency standards and labeling for the air conditioning sector. The Clean Cooling Collaborative is a philanthropic program to increase energy efficiency in cooling equipment in tandem with the implementation of refrigerant transition under the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol.

Chile

Berkeley Lab and the Ministry of Energy (MoE) in Chile have had a long history of successful collaboration.

Major contributions include:

  • Review of the National Action Plan elaborated for the National Program for Energy Efficiency (PPEE for its acronym in Spanish)
  • Review of the standards and labeling program
  • Estimate of potential energy savings from Energy Efficiency using the BUENAS model
  • Technical assistance in the formulation of Minimum Energy Performance Standards for a wide range of products, using the Policy Analysis Modeling System — PAMS
Capacity Building

One of the key aspect of Berkeley Lab's collaboration with Chile's MoE is to build capacity and transfer knowledge through the use of the PAMS tool. To this end, we hosted several trainings, including a training on energy efficient motors in 2014 and on air conditioners in 2016. The training was attended by a Mexican and Chilean delegation composed of policymakers and their local consultants. Experts from Berkeley Lab's Energy Efficiency Standards group presented their work in support of the DOE US rulemaking. The training covered key concepts of techno-economic analysis, including data collection and engineering, energy use and impact analyses, and an introduction to financial incentives.

Latin America Energy Program Researchers
Energy/Environmental Policy Research Scientist/Engineer
Principal Scientific Engineering Associate