Workshop on Experience Exchange on Energy Efficiency Regulation

Montevideo, February 29, 2024.

Actors from Central America and the United States participated in the workshop “Salvadoran Energy Efficiency Regulations,” as part of the development of a new digital tool for Honduras by Sofis Solutions.

Within the framework of the project “Digital platform to analyze equipment compliance with national standards and regional regulations,” which Sofis Solutions is carrying out for the Secretariat of Energy of Honduras (SEN), a workshop was held with actors from El Salvador, Honduras, and the United States Energy Association (USEA).

A delegation from the General Directorate of Renewable and Energy Efficiency (DGEREE) of SEN, a representative from USEA, and the Sofis Solutions team met in El Salvador to participate in the workshop “Salvadoran Energy Efficiency Regulations”, conducted by the Directorate of Energy, Hydrocarbons, and Mines of El Salvador, to better understand the regulatory framework on energy efficiency as part of the project activities.

Additionally, during the activity, experiences and lessons learned were exchanged, which will serve as input for the technical requirements of the digital tool. Topics addressed included the rational use of energy and energy efficiency in the public and private sectors, the implementation of national and regional regulations, and the promotion of a transition to more efficient technologies. Other topics included promoting the reduction of greenhouse gases, removing technical barriers to ensure fair and transparent competition, generating consumer trust, and implementing national and regional regulations to promote efficient technological transformation.

The digital platform being developed by Sofis Solutions will contribute to the efficiency of processes for registering, monitoring, and ensuring compliance of equipment imported and marketed in Honduras, according to national and regional regulations.

As part of this project, key project team members held an initial meeting with the USEA and SEN teams during their visit to El Salvador to plan collaboratively and analyze the technical design and construction requirements of the solution.

Koolemans, Program Manager at USEA, shared their expectations for the outcome of this project: “We are very excited about this project, as it can have a significant impact on the energy efficiency of the air conditioning fleet in Honduras.”

Estefanía Gonzalez, Energy Standardization Analyst at the General Directorate of Renewable and Energy Efficiency (DGEREE) of SEN, commented: “We are excited to see the work of Sofis developers; we trust that they will deliver an excellent product. This project will not only improve the services we provide but also contribute to sustainable growth and innovation. We are very enthusiastic about the positive impact it will have, and we want to thank USEA and USAID for their ongoing support to SEN. We look forward to continuing to work together to achieve a more efficient and sustainable energy future.”

Gilberto Mendoza, project coordinator at Sofis, highlighted: “We are very grateful to USEA and SEN for allowing us to participate in these exchange sessions. This allowed us to understand comprehensively the needs, characteristics, and impact of the solution we are going to develop.”

Sustainability

Efficient energy use is a priority worldwide, and organizations and governments are concerned with finding ways to carry out activities using the least possible energy resources. In this context, Sofis Solutions’ partnerships with institutions interested in improving the landscape and developing projects of this type generate advances in sustainability, a topic the company focuses on.

The efficient use of energy resources is part of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that Sofis Solutions aligns with. Specifically, this topic is related to Goal 7, which aims to promote access to clean, affordable, and non-polluting energy, considered key for agricultural and food production, business development, communications, education, transportation, and healthcare.