Demand-side management for the residential sector of the San Jose, Costa Rica, metropolitan region

The residential sector is responsible for almost half of the total electricity consumption of CNFL's (Compañia Nacional de Fuerza y Luz) market, significantly affecting the utility's load curve. End-use analysis showed cooking and lighting as major contributors to peak power demand usually met by dispatching oil-fired plants. Surveys developed by CNFL revealed an unexplored potential of DSM (demand-side management) programs to promote economic and energy efficiency. This work presents, first, an assessment of the potential of efficiency programs for cooking, based on source substitution - liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for electricity -, and for lighting, based on technology substitution - compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) for incandescent lamps (ILs) - in the CNFL service area (metropolitan region of San Jose, Costa Rica). The expected benefits are reduction of electricity peak demand, better use of imported fuels and prevention or postponement of investments in system expansion, furthermore contributing to emission reductions. The effectiveness of these programs was assessed from consumers', utility and social perspectives. Assessment results show the feasibility of proposed measures and potential reduction in peak demand of over 60 MW (5 %) and in energy consumption of over 400 GWh/year (7 %) by the year 2015. Finally, implementation and current status of both efficiency programs are briefly described. © 2001 International Energy Initiative, Inc.