As part of continuing engagement conducted by LBNL and USAID through the Energy Efficiency Development program (EE4D) to advance energy efficiency in Ecuador, a Cooling Summit was convened on November 15, 2023, to address the environmental and economic impacts associated with growing electricity use by air conditioners (AC) in the country. The event was organized in partnership with Ecuador’s Ministry of Production, Foreign Trade, Investments and Fisheries (MPCEIP) and brought together government officials, industry representatives and members of the research community to highlight environmental and economic impacts caused by current and projected electricity consumption by AC use in Ecuador and globally. The agenda included a presentation by the Ministry of Energy and Mines on energy efficiency policies related to cooling and a presentation by LBNL on the regulatory proposal it developed as part of technical assistance to update the minimum energy performance standard (MEPS) for air conditioners. A round table with HVAC industry leaders provided useful insights on the market dynamics for air conditioners in Ecuador. The Cooling Summit created the opportunity to revise the status of the regulatory process for the update of the AC MEPS and to generate a discussion between key stakeholders to develop a broader agenda of collaboration around efficient cooling.

 

 

While Ecuador aims to reduce cumulative energy consumption equivalent to 150,907 gigawatt hours by 2035, a lack of public awareness on energy efficiency opportunities in buildings is impeding progress. To address these barriers, on April 28th, 2023, with support from USAID, Berkeley Lab participated in the seminar “Talks about Energy Efficiency in Industry, Construction, and Sustainable Public Procurement,” organized by the Ecuadorian Accreditation Service (SAE). Berkeley Lab delivered a presentation on application of the BETTER retrofit analysis tool in Mexico and Tunisia to improve energy efficiency and advance toward net zero energy in their buildings sectors. The event included the participation of the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Production, Investment, Foreign Trade and Fisheries, among other government agencies, research institutions, and industry entities. Berkeley Lab participation in the seminar opened the possibility of leveraging the BETTER tool in Ecuador to support reaching the country’s energy consumption reduction target and reinforced engagement with key partners to advance the ongoing USAID-Berkeley Lab project to update the minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) for room air conditioners.