(March 7, 2007) Chile’s government commemorated World Energy Efficiency Day on Monday by launching a new energy plan aimed at saving US$10,000 million in energy-related costs in the next 10 years. The Country’s Energy Efficiency Program (PPEE) hopes to bring about a 1.5 percent reduction in annual energy consumption. Chile’s increasing demand for energy currently grows by 6.8 percent every year.

Finance Minister Alejandro Ferreiro and Mining and Energy Minister Karen Poniachik introduced three key areas where they hoped the country could seriously tackle its energy consumption. First, all new electronic domestic goods, such as fridges and microwaves, will be labeled to indicate their energy efficiency, as is currently practiced in Europe. Second, companies will be routinely audited to assess their energy management. Third, social housing is to be redesigned to minimize energy use and gas emissions.

Without referring to recent discussion of nuclear energy, Poniachik stressed such energy savings would be the first step towards reducing energy demand and ensuring better energy security for the nation.

“We’re working at speeding up projects to have greater capacity to generate electricity,” said the minister. “We’re investing into distribution and logistical systems, but at the same time, we have to work at reducing the demand. Energy efficiency is a key tool in securing our energy future.”

Poniachik also pointed out that for every dollar spent on energy efficient products, the consumer saves US$2.2 in electricity bills and for every dollar spent on energy efficient vehicles, the consumer saves US$2.4 in gas.

The PPEE is an interdisciplinary group of experts from the private and public sector. They will launch a larger campaign aimed at reducing energy wastage later this year.

“The campaign, which is still being designed, will concentrate on domestic appliances,” said Nicola Borregaard, PPEE executive director. “We’re starting to label products: incandescent light bulbs from April, fridges from May and fluorescent light bulbs from June.”

Borregaard also stressed the major difference made by fluorescent light bulbs, “which use 80 percent less energy than normal light bulbs.”

SOURCE: EL MERCURIO, LA NACIÓN
By Beatrice Karol Burks (editor@santiagotimes.cl)