International collaboration

Ciudad Energética: Energiestadt in South America

The Ciudad Energética project, which is supported by the REPIC platform (Renewable Energy, Energy and Resource Efficiency Promotion in Developing and Transition Countries), was the first to trial the added value the Energiestadt system can deliver for South American towns and cities.

Das in der Schweiz und anderen europäischen Ländern erfolgreiche Energiestadt/European Energy Award (eea)-Konzept stösst auch in anderen Kontinenten auf Interesse. Im Rahmen des von der interdepartementalen Plattform für Entwicklung REPIC unterstützten und finanzierten Projekts «Ciudad Energetica» führte ENCO in Zusammenarbeit mit unseren Partnern das Energiestadt-System in Chile ein und testete es in drei Pilotgemeinden.

Based on our many years of experience with the Energiestadt process, we supported the introduction of the eea in Chile by adapting the Energiestadt/eea system to the Chilean environment, taking into account the respective communities’ specific needs. This work resulted in the development of the Chilean Comuna Energética (instead of the originally envisaged Ciudad Energética) based on the Swiss Energiestadt model. The system was institutionalised and firmly anchored in Chilean energy policy by integrating it with the national EEL programme for local energy strategies.

We not only supported the three communities of Coyhaique, Temuco and Vitacura in implementing the eea, but also transferred expertise and experiences to train community members in putting the programme into practice. The twinning of the three pilot towns with Bern, a Swiss Gold Energiestadt, in the winter of 2015 consolidated the relationship with Switzerland, stimulated further exchange and reinforced the interest in the Energiestadt process.

The project had a duration of 2 years. It was supported by the Swiss embassy in Chile, several Chilean ministries and the Chilean municipal associations involved.

Our contribution:

  • Anpassung und Implementierung der Instrumente und des Prozesses European Energy Award an den chilenischen Kontext
  • Zusammenarbeit mit und Beratung der beteiligten chilenischen Ministerien
  • Entwicklung des Konzepts für die institutionelle Struktur und das Geschäftsmodell für den European Energy Award in Chile
  • Testumsetzung in drei Pilotgemeinden
  • Schulung von Beratern in der Anwendung des European Energy Award

Period

August 2014-August 2016

Client

REPIC (Interdepartmental Platform of SDC, SECO and SFOE)

Project Location

Chile

Our Partners

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Contact Person

Caroline Huwiler
Project leader
caroline.huwiler@enco-ag.ch
T. +41 61 965 99 00

Project team

Maren Kornmann

Managing director, project leader, partner since 2016

Caroline Huwiler

Project leader

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