ABSTRACT
Energy Efficiency programs in Mexico:
Watergy Efficiency for Municipal Water Utilities
The Watergy Approach
The term "Watergy" was coined by the Alliance to Save Energy describe the strong link between water and energy in municipal water distribution systems. The program helps these utilities to realize significant energy and monetary savings through technical and managerial changes in water systems, providing consumers with quality water while using a minimum of water and energy. Currently all Watergy projects are in developing countries, where efficiency measures repay themselves quickly and the resulting savings in money and water reap many rewards: immediate improvements in water service, increased water delivery, reduced water and energy consumption, and more revenue for system upgrades and new customer connections.
Watergy - Mexico
Mexico’s water and wastewater utilities face daunting challenges in energy and water management, with water losses estimated at 45% and energy costs consuming 40% of total revenue. The Alliance began providing technical assistance to Mexican water and wastewater utilities in 2003, with support from the US Agency for International Development (USAID). One of the first Watergy partnerships established as part of this effort was with the Metropolitan Potable Water and Sanitation System (SAS) ofVeracruz. Based upon these efforts a case study was developed to illustrate the benefits of water system efficiency to utilities around the country. The Alliance trained staff from the Veracruz utility, strengthening staff’s ability to identify and realize energy and water savings within their systems. The resulting Watergy pilot projects demonstrated that it is possible to improve service conditions and increase access to water while maintaining or reducing energy costs and water losses. Energy savings at SAS, for example, were 23%. In 2004 over 4,360,470 kWh were saved representing approximately USD 606,000. The next phase of Alliance Watergy work in Mexico is a more focused effort to identify energy efficiency opportunities in water utilities in the US-Mexico Border Region. The Alliance will be addressing this through training, energy auditing and case study development with two municipalities in the border region. Watergy partner utilities in the border region include Monclova-Frontera, Coahuila and Tijuana, Baja California.
Biography
Speaker: Chris Godlove
Position: Senior Program Manager, Municipal Energy
Company: Alliance to Save Energy
Country: USA
Mr. Godlove manages the development and implementation of the Alliance’s water and energy efficiency – Watergy - programs in Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Eastern Europe. In this capacity Godlove is responsible for the development of Watergy partnerships that strengthen the capacity of water utility mangers to incorporate energy efficiency into their daily operations.
During his time with the Alliance, Godlove’s efforts have led to a significant expansion of Watergy partnerships through the creation and on-going development of relationships with water utilities in Brazil and India and the expansion of the program to Philippines and Sri Lanka. Prior to joining the Alliance, Godlove’s work focused on environmental technology transfer initiatives with the Environmental Export Council (EEC) and the U.S. Environmental Training Institute (USETI). Godlove has over 10 years experience in international development efforts focusing on program implementation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Agency for International Development, United Nations Environment Programme, World Bank, and Asian Development Bank. Godlove received his M.A. in International Relations from the AmericanUniversity, Washington, DC and is a Certified Energy Manager (CEM).
Company Background Information
Company: Alliance to Save Energy
Country: USA
Founded in 1977, the Alliance to Save Energy is a non-profit coalition of business, government, environmental and consumer leaders. The Alliance to Save Energy supports energy efficiency as a cost-effective energy resource under existing market conditions and advocates energy-efficiency policies that minimize costs to society and individual consumers, and that lessen greenhouse gas emissions and their impact on the global climate. To carry out its mission, the Alliance to Save Energy undertakes research, educational programs, and policy advocacy, designs and implements energy-efficiency projects, promotes technology development and deployment, and builds public-private partnerships, in the U.S. and other countries.