Argentina. Universities, governments, cooperatives and companies came together to plan energy efficiency actions. They will carry out a pilot test in two technical schools in the province. They seek to install new practices in users.
It is not easy to modify long-held patterns of behavior. However, small actions added by millions of users can make a big difference in energy savings: shutdown of electrical equipment and lights, window enclosures, use of LED lamps, cleaning of heaters are some of them.
With the aim of promoting these actions, last week an agreement was signed between agencies of the province of Neuquén and various public and private institutions for the creation of an inter-institutional table that will promote the implementation of measures to favor energy efficiency.
The bureau shall be composed of the Provincial Legislature; the National Institute of Industrial Technology (INTI); provincial ministries of education; Security; and Energy; the Copade; the EPEN; the National Technological University; the National University of Comahue; the University of Flores; the CALF Cooperative; the Neuquén Investment Agency (ADI-NQN); the Plottier Electric Cooperative; and the Secretariat of Modernization of the municipality of Neuquén. The private sector was joined by the Argentine Institute of Oil and Gas (IAPG), YPF and Dow Chemical.
"It's a fundamentally cultural and educational issue. If schools could save only 15 percent of the energy they use, in three years five new schools could be built," said the provincial deputy and vice dean of the National Technological University, Luis Sapag.
In this sense, a pilot experience will be launched in the technical schools No. 8 of Neuquén and No. 10 of Plaza Huincul to measure the impact that the use of efficient energy saving techniques can mean. INTI will develop the plan, while students and teachers will work to implement efficiency measures. It is expected to join the EPET of Plottier and San Martín de los Andes.
"Currently, some technical schools may have electricity bills greater than 500,000 pesos per month," said the legislator, although he clarified that the differentiated rate charged by some cooperatives for state agencies also influences, "which can be up to three times higher."
During the presentation of the table, it was recalled that when mercury was changed to sodium vapor in public lighting, the EPEN achieved a saving of 32 percent in energy consumption. The next challenge for the provincial electric entity will be to mutate to LED technology.
Sapag said there are low-cost, high-result campaigns that quickly save 10 to 15 percent of spending. "There are still people who use the stoves in the kitchen to heat themselves or leave the computer on, which spends the equivalent of ten spotlights of the old ones. Dissemination is very important," he concluded.
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