Design of Standards and Labeling programs in Chile: Techno-Economic Analysis for Refrigerators
Conference paper:
4th ELAEE (Encuentro Latinoamericano de Economistas de Energía), Montevideo, Uruguay, 8 – 9 April 2013
Authors: V.E. Letschert, M.A. McNeil, M. Pavón, W.F. Lutz
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory is a global leader in the study of energy efficiency and its effective implementation through government policy. The paper presents the work done by the the Energy Analysis and Environmental Impacts Department of LBNL’s Environmental Energy Technologies Division in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy (MoE) in Chile and the Collaborative Labeling Appliance Standards Programs (CLASP) on designing a Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) and extending the current labeling program for refrigerators.
LBNL used the Policy Analysis Modeling System (PAMS) to conduct the analysis. PAMS is a spreadsheet model that provides policymakers with a robust and transparent cost-benefit analysis of future energy efficiency programs. It contains a built-in database of energy parameters for more than 160 countries and built-in engineering analysis for three appliances. PAMS can be used with little or no data, and can be customized to model a wide range of equipment and appliances.
The results of the study allow for evaluation of the overall impacts of the various options for MEPS and labeling programs for Chilean refrigerators. In particular, we show that a MEPS harmonized with the EU Ecodesign MEPS (Ecodesign Directive No 643/2009) is cost-effective in Chile. The overall impacts of harmonization with the Ecodesign target would save consumers 59 Million US$ over the next 20 years. Combined with an extension of the labeling program, it would save over 5 TWh and avoid 2.7 Mt of CO2e emissions during the same period of time. Since this study, the MoE has published the “Regulation for establishing minimum energy performance standards and the procedure for these applications” in the Official Journal, which requires the analysis of the impact of MEPS on the consumer and the national level. Currently, the MoE is currently working on developing a MEPS for refrigerators.
Authors: Virginie E. Letschert and Michael A. McNeil, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Mariana Pavón, Ministerio de Energía Chile, Wolfgang F. Lutz, Energy Strategies for Sustainable Development