The Latin American and Caribbean Energy Organization (OLACDE) held the webinar “Energy Transition in the Residential Sector – Results and Proposals for Latin America”, at which the main findings of the regional study on energy transition in the residential sector were presented. This activity was carried out under the ETRELA project, with support from the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the Government of Germany, EBP Chile, Universidad Mayor, and the Fundación Futuro Latinoamericano.
During the opening remarks, Gloria Alvarenga, OLACDE’s Director of Integration, Access and Energy Security, warned that “burning biomass not only affects the health of women, children, and older adults, but also contributes to deforestation and climate change.” In this regard, she urged progress toward clean technological solutions such as electrification and the use of biogas.
For his part, OLACDE’s Executive Secretary, Andrés Rebolledo, emphasized that the energy transition in households goes beyond access to energy and requires coordination with public health, housing, and social protection policies. “It’s not just about energy,” he stated, announcing that OLACDE is driving a roadmap with its 27 member countries to reach a regional political commitment on clean cooking in 2025.
During the event, Nicola Borregaard, General Manager of EBP Chile, presented the results of a study conducted together with institutions from Brazil, Colombia, Chile, and the United States, which shows the residential sector lagging behind in national decarbonization strategies. As she highlighted, electrifying the sector is urgent given its positive effects on public health and emissions mitigation.
The technical report notes that the residential sector accounts for between 11% and 19% of final energy demand in the countries analyzed, with intensive use of firewood and gas for cooking and heating:
- In Colombia, 70% of residential consumption goes to cooking, with high reliance on firewood.
- In Brazil, this share ranges between 51% and 62%, with gas use predominating.
- In Chile, firewood used for heating generates 22% of national CO₂ emissions.
Although electricity coverage exceeds 90% in most areas, deficiencies persist in infrastructure and service quality, especially in rural areas. The study also identifies regulatory gaps and the need to harmonize metrics and public policy instruments.
Paola Valencia, of EBP Chile, shared unprecedented findings on fugitive methane emissions from household stoves:
- In Bogotá, 70% of methane comes from leaks when the stove is off.
- In Chile, these emissions exceed 50% of total residential emissions.
- In Brazil, methane emissions from stoves were up to 10 times higher than official IPCC estimates.
In addition, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and benzene were measured, revealing significant health impacts. Data was collected on-site, taking into account altitude, stove type, and local conditions.
Cristóbal Galbán, a researcher at Universidad Mayor, presented experiments conducted in Chile and Colombia that confirmed continuous methane emissions even with burners turned off. He proposed using country-specific Tier 2-level emission factors, replacing the generic IPCC Tier 1 factors, to improve national greenhouse gas inventories.
Finally, Maryangel García, of the Fundación Futuro Latinoamericano, presented the communication strategy implemented to turn technical data into messages that are understandable to the general public, media, and decision-makers. “What is not communicated does not exist. And if it is not measured, it cannot be improved,” she concluded.
