Remarcable participation in the Conference on Energy Efficiency

The online Conference on Energy Efficiency counted with more than 350 participants on Zoom and 110 on You tube.

If you missed it, you can view it here: https://youtu.be/7F7yG-6xUXQ 
 
Tuesday, May 26, the Conference on Energy Efficiency "How to save energy with ISO 50001 and Learning Networks" was organized by the Center for Research and Studies on Culture and Society-CIECS (CONICET and the National University of Córdoba), the Ministry of Public Services of Córdoba, the Provincial Energy Company, EPEC and the Energy Efficiency Project in Argentina, financed by the European Union.
 
OPENING
The day began with a few brief words from the representatives of the organizing institutions. Dr. Adrian Carbonetti, director of CIECS-CONICET and UNC, stressed that his center has been working for ten years to tackle this problem, focusing mainly on the private sector. Ing. Sergio Mansur, Director of the Ministry of Public Services of the Córdoba Province recalled that both Renewable Energies and Energy Efficiency are part of Item number 7 of the Sustainable Development Goals, being part of a global agenda and that after the pandemic, it will deepen, highlighting that the Province will continue working to tackle this problem incorporating other items such as the Bioeconomy, developing further the programs for SMEs with the need to increase efficiency in the use of available resources.On behalf of the Energy Efficiency Project, Team Leader Alfredo Caprile emphasized that the project counts with 5 Energy Management Learning Networks, with more than 60 participating companies and extremely considerable savings achieved, contributing to make Argentina become a more robust ecosystem in terms of energy use awareness. Mg. Sergio Devalis highlighted that it is time for solutions, it is time to focus on the available tools.
 
To conclude, Eng. Guillermo Martin, the new director of the Directorate of Renewable Energies of the National Secretariat of Energy highlighted the importance of promoting energy tools and methodologies aimed at the productive sector, considering it a main asset to increase productivity, remending that the Ministry continues to work on the development of a National Energy Efficiency Plan, through a regulatory framework and the creation of necessary tools and instruments, mentioning that they will foster the development of new co-financed Learning Networks that continue to generate this symbiosis between private companies with leverage from the Public Sector.
 
II SESSION
 
The second block began with the presentation of Eng. Claudio Puértolas, General Manager of EPEC who underlined the relevance of Energy Efficiency for the provincial company, showing the consumption behaviors of the Province, highlighting that both commercial and residential refrigeration are the most relevant milestones.
 
Mg. Marcela Carignani, Regional Director of IRAM commented on the peculiarities of the ISO 50001 Standard, its evolution both in Argentina and in the world, underlining the relevance of the standard to improve Energy management, showing that in Argentina there are 29 certified companies, reporting that our country has a niche to continue growing. Mr. Hernán Pereiro, Manager of DNV GL in Argentina reinforced the IRAM presentation, stressing that the implementation of the Standard improves the competitiveness of the company and generates an impact on the environment, allowing it to be much more effective through the measurement and knowledge of consumption.
 
III SESSION
 
The third block was Moderated by Ing. Alejandro Primbas, Director of the Nation's Secretary of Energy, who pointed out the attractiveness of replicating the Model of Germany as the main implementing country for Learning Networks. Ing. Laura Martínez Quijano, Lead Auditor of DNV GL- Director of Verde +, showed that one of the keys for a management system to work, lies in the commitment of senior management, being necessary to break with the Energy use paradigms, requiring organizations to get in tune with their real situation and look for ways to improve their energy performance.
Engineer Andrea Afranchi, expert of the EU project the Energy Efficiency in Argentina, unraveled the characteristics of Learning Networks as a collaborative methodology where the heart of the system lies with the participants, highlighting not only the good results achieved in terms of savings, but the excellent returns by companies, considering the system as fundamental for their survival.
 
Two companies participated in the Final Session, presenting specific implementation cases. In the first place, Eng. Mario Dalmazzo, Maintenance Manager Alimentos Refrigerados SA, showed more than satisfactory results, since April 2019 when they started with the implementation of the system, the accumulated percentage saving reached 10%, which could translate into approximately USD 82,321 .- and a reduction of 522,741 kg of avoided CO2 emissions. Secondly, Eng. Eduardo Borghi, Energy Efficiency Specialist- Fiat Chrysler Automovile, highlighted the magnitude of the factory's production in approximately 220,000 cars per year. After 4 years of implementation of Energy Efficiency measures, the results achieved were around 27% of consumption, translating into USD821,000.- and 556 tons of CO2 emissions avoided, being an internationally awarded company by Clean Energy Ministerial Energy Awards.
 
 
CLOSING
To end the Conference, Eng. Jose Luis Larregola, industrial audits expert for the Energy Efficiency Project financed by the European Union highlighted the importance of institutionalizing Energy Efficiency, and creating consensus at national level, with specific cases that lead the way.
"Both Argentina and Latin America have a high potential for growth in Energy Management Systems, and fortunately with these networks the indicators will move towards positive ... all these results achieved are due to the Plan presented by the European Union which Argentina fully took advantage of”.
 
Therefore, it was an extremely profitable conference, where the results showed as well as the high level of participation give a clear indication that there is extremely fertile ground in Argentina for the implementation of these systems which will increase the competitiveness of the production system with a strong impact also on environmental issues.
 
PRESENTATIONS AND AGENDA can be downloaded below. 

“Both Argentina and Latin America have a high potential for growth in Energy Management Systems, and fortunately with these networks the indicators will move towards positive ... all these results achieved are due to the Plan presented by the European Union which Argentina fully took advantage of”