In September, CLASP kicked off new activities with Brazil’s National Electrical Energy Conservation Program (PROCEL) that will support decision makers in revising or expanding the energy performance labels for street lighting and cooling appliances.

An Expanded Partnership

CLASP team members Marie Baton, Eric Gibbs, and Colin Taylor participated in the “Advancing Energy Efficiency in Brazil Through Labeling” workshop hosted by Eletrobras, Latin America’s largest power utility company. Representatives from PROCEL, INMETRO, industry organizations, local academics and non-governmental organizations, as well as the Ministry of Mines and Energy attended the workshop.

CLASP presented international best practices for energy efficiency policies and participated in panels that considered how these practices would function best for Brazil, its people, and market. This global context complemented the strong technical capacity of the policymakers and governmental bodies present.

Participants built consensus around the necessity of revising the PROCEL seal for domestic refrigerators and street lighting, as well as the possibility of developing new policies that apply the seal to commercial refrigerators and chillers. A revision of the endorsement label criteria coupled with wider consumer recognition would mean a reduction in harmful greenhouse gas emissions and costs to consumers. CLASP continues to work with PROCEL and other stakeholders to move energy efficiency forward in Brazil.

CLASP team members Colin Taylor, Marie Baton, and Eric Gibbs in Rio de Janeiro (from left to right).

The Energy Efficiency Landscape in Brazil

Brazil initiated an appliance labeling program in 1984 and has since implemented both voluntary and mandatory labels and standards for many domestic, industrial and commercial products. Several different agencies are responsible for the development, implementation, and promotion of energy performance standards and labels:

• The Energy Efficiency Indicators Management Committee of the Ministry of Mines and Energy manages formal energy performance standards.
• INMETRO, the Brazilian Metrology Institute, is responsible for the comparative label
• PROCEL awards the endorsement label to qualifying products.

Progress on energy efficiency in Brazil had slowed in recent years, partially a result of their historically strong hydropower capacity—which meets a majority of the country’s electricity demand. However, hydropower’s ability to fulfill increasing energy demand is dwindling as the country experiences severe droughts and subsequent water rationing. Policymakers are therefore looking to set ambitious standards for commonly-used and highly-consumptive products to reduce environmental impact and consumer costs.

“PROCEL has a long history of successful conservation and energy efficiency programs, a well-known brand, and most importantly, institutional capacity and a commitment to furthering its mission. This was a promising start for what we hope will be a long and productive partnership to further our common goals and achieve the greatest impact” said Eric Gibbs, CLASP Chief Policy & Analysis Officer.

For more information on our engagement in Brazil, read about our participation in the “Perspectives for Energy Efficiency Improvement in the Brazilian Air Conditioner Market” conference last spring.