On Friday, public authorities of the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mining (MIEM) launched the second edition of the Efficient Localities programme, through which they will finance, among others, projects related to electric vehicles.
Applications to participate in the plan, which will allocate 700,000 pesos to a maximum of 20 proposals from all the country’s departments, will be open from today.
Projects must include energy efficiency measures or proposals based on efficient technologies.
In addition to those related to electromobility, the categories will be: lighting, in which lighting fixtures are replaced or incorporated; thermal conditioning and improvements to the building envelope; energy recovery of waste and demonstration of efficient technologies.
In this instance, the execution period will be four months.
The programme is part of the strategy of the National Energy Directorate (DNE) and seeks to decentralise and reduce bureaucracy in this sector.
The success of the first call for applications inspired a second call for applications.
According to the authorities, 40 projects from 17 departments were received in the first call, of which 20 were selected to be developed in different parts of the country.
At the same time, it was announced that there are plans to launch a plan for Efficient Tourism Localities, aimed at places with attractions for the sector.
In this sense, a call will be made to environmental institutions to present ideas for improving their actions through energy sustainability.
The call is aimed at departmental and municipal governments and local authorities, so that they can apply for initiatives to be carried out in conjunction with private companies or institutions. The funding will be non-refundable and technical assistance will be provided.
«The aim is to provide incentives for energy efficiency in the deepest interior,» said the Undersecretary of Industry, Energy and Mining, Walter Verri, during the presentation.
The forms will be available on the National Energy Directorate’s website.
Last year’s results
With regard to electric mobility, last year in Santa Clara de Olimar, two electric tricycle-type vehicles were incorporated for urban development tasks and the replacement of fossil fuel-based pruning and green space maintenance equipment with electric ones.
In Villa Sara, meanwhile, an electric tricycle was added for municipal tasks and a biodigester to provide energy to a canteen and CAIF centre.
In San José, pedal-assist bicycles were purchased to promote efficient mobility in Kiyú and Libertad.