Salvadoran MSMEs receive training in energy management

San Salvador, June 04, 2015. -  The Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI), through its Green MSME Initiative, the Salvadoran National Energy Council (CNE) and the Ministry of Economy’s National Commission for Micro and Small Enterprise of (CONAMYPE), are promoting a cycle of workshops focused on energy management. The workshops seek to produce energy savings, improve human capital and strengthen the productive sector’s energy efficiency capacities.

This is the second inter-sector effort coordinated by the Program "El Salvador Saves Energy.” Business advisers and administrative personnel from the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Centers will participate in the workshops.

They will also be attended by 120 representatives of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and will provide the tools necessary to enable MSMEs to execute energy audits and to implement projects in benefit of the energy sector’s competitiveness. To support the execution of projects, one free energy audit will be provided to each Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Center.

Once again, the workshops will receive collaboration from other sector participants, such as the electricity distribution companies, Distribuidora Electrica del Sur and AES El Salvador; the National Cleaner Production Center (CNPML); BANDESAL and institutions that share the CNE’s vision with regard to energy development.

The project’s objectives are to:

• Generate a culture of rational and efficient energy resource use at MSMEs.
• Create capacities necessary to identify, analyze, execute and follow up on energy efficiency measures at MSME installations.
• Improve energy resource management at MSMEs.
• Increase the sector’s competitiveness and reduce current energy costs.
• Implement energy efficiency projects.

Issues to be addressed during the workshops include:

• Basics of efficient energy use and identification and diagnosis of energy efficiency measures.
• Technical and economic evaluation of energy efficiency measures.
• Application of energy efficiency measures.
• Energy management: adequate reading of the electricity bill.
• Financing opportunities for MSMEs in El Salvador.
• Application and examples of already-implemented solar photovoltaic and solar thermal projects.
• Investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency

CABEI’s Green MSME Initiative is a tripartite initiative with financial support from the German Government’s KfW Development Bank and the European Union. The initiative has promoted financing for small-scale renewable energy and energy efficiency projects on the order of US$42 million, which is channeled through CABEI’s network of financial institutions.

In addition, it has approved the use of technical assistance resources amounting to US$3.6 million, intended to provide technical cooperation to financial institutions; update, design and implement renewable energy and energy efficiency financial products; and carry out energy audits at MSMEs and feasibility studies for renewable energy projects.