| Central American Officials Take Steps to Finalize a Comprehensive Regional Lighting Strategy
 Officials from Ministries of Energy and the Environment in Central America and the Dominican Republic have successfully finalized discussions to establish a regionally coordinated framework to transition to energy efficient lighting. The strategy begins with the complete phase-out of inefficient incandescent lamps in the region by the end of 2016.
The workshop to finalize the regional strategy for energy efficient lighting was held at the end of October in San Jose, Costa Rica and hosted by en.lighten in cooperation with Proyecto Mesoamerica and UNEP’s Regional Gateway for Technology Transfer and Climate Change Action in Latin America and the Caribbean (REGATTA).
Launched in October 2012, the strategy involves eight countries including: Belize, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama. Colombia and Mexico provide technical and policy support.
According to Proyecto Mesoamerica, by implementing the Regional Strategy to transition to more efficient lighting, electricity use will be reduced by over 3 million KWh per year with an estimated savings of US$ 530 million annually in electricity costs. Together, Central American countries would lower CO2 emissions by almost 2 million tons per year and avoid US$ 660 million in investments in new power generation.
The draft version of the efficiency strategy includes the promotion of efficient lamps among low income families, accompanied by an awareness-raising campaign to educate end users on the benefits of energy efficient light sources throughout the region. A common labeling program for lamps will also be instituted and will include a seal to identify high efficiency sources.
A regional laboratory in Costa Rica will support quality control efforts and a collection and recycling system will be established for the environmentally sound management of lighting products.
The draft strategy endorsed by the Directors of Energy throughout the region is expected to be adopted by the Ministers of Energy on December 6, 2013 in Panama City. Once official approval is received, technical regulations will be developed, following the guidelines and recommendations established in the strategy document.
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