ECCC - Energy Conversion and Conservation Center of University of New Orleans

After Hurricane Mitch struck Honduras in 1998, the country was in need of an interim solution to its emergency problems related to energy infrastructure development and reconstruction. The University of New Orleans' Energy Conversion and Conservation Center (ECCC) worked on a USAID-funded program to provide Honduras with these solutions and further recommendations for long-term solutions.

The energy program was one component of a larger project, funded by USAID and managed by MetroVision, the economic development arm of the New Orleans Regional Chamber of Commerce. The ECCC’s long-range goals as they relate to Honduras are: to help transform Honduras into a self-sufficient supplier of affordable, reliable and environmentally friendly electric power and other forms of energy.

ECCC's work in Honduras included: energy management/conservation, rural electric power generation, education and training, natural resources management, new technology utilization, business development and long-range planning. Safe, clean and reliable electric power is a primary component for economic development. A comprehensive plan for electric power generation in Honduras will help boost productivity, improve health care, and raise the standard of living for the country's entrepreneurs, farmers and poor communities.

The following are information on our achievements in Honduras during this project:

Short Course On Energy Management:ECCC offered a short course on energy management in Tegucigalpa, Honduras on July 16-17, 2001. This course served as an introduction to the principles of energy management, and provided an overview of energy conservation and energy auditing techniques. Honduran engineering and technical professionals attended the course, which was the first of its kind offered in the country.

In today's world, energy and demand costs have a definite impact on your company's bottom line. To be a well-informed energy consumer, you must know how much power you use, what your major loads are, when you use electric power the most, and how much you pay for it. It's also important to understand the quality of the power you use. Poor power quality reduces productivity and shortens equipment life, which can drive down your company's profits. This course taught attendees how to control energy costs and offered solutions from the ECCC's experienced personnel.

Energy Assessment Reports: The ECCC team completed a report on available energy resources in Honduras. This report provides the Honduran government and international non-governmental organizations with a summary of the Honduran energy sector. It provides assessments on effective utilization of available energy resources, and it also discusses the feasibility of using energy technologies to meet power growth. This report is available upon request.

Map 1: Honduran Power Plants / Sub-stations / Transmission Network

Energy Resources Database and Digital Map: Empresa Nacional de Energía Eléctrica (ENEE) is the Honduran national power company. ENEE is working to complete a digital map and accompanying database for its national power grid, power plants and sub-stations. However, ENEE's computer hardware and technical software is inadequate to accomplish this task. ECCC staff completed a set of digital maps, which can be integrated with ENEE's database to show the location of power plants, sub-stations and transmission lines throughout the country. These maps can be expanded to include information about electrification efforts in rural areas, and can be used to provide updated information on maintenance projects and electrification expansion.

Honduran Rural Electrification Program: The ECCC team worked with ENEE's staff, local engineers and international funding organizations to identify criteria used to select villages for a rural electrification program. All parties agree that for rural electrification efforts to succeed, they must be rooted in economic development, and located in areas with existing agri-business or manufacturing potential. The ECCC team completed a report on distributed generation (DG). This approach is proposed to bring electric power to one of the identified villages, with plans to replicate efforts in other villages as funds are made available.Village in the Department of Olancho.

Approximately 40 percent of Honduras' population lives in rural areas, and nearly 85 percent of those people live without access to safe, reliable and affordable electricity.

Rural Electrification Program: The ECCC team worked with ENEE's staff, local engineers and international funding organizations to identify criteria used to select villages for a rural electrification program. All parties agree that for rural electrification efforts to succeed, they must be rooted in economic development, and located in areas with existing agri-business or manufacturing potential. The ECCC team completed a report on distributed generation (DG). This approach is proposed to bring electric power to one of the identified villages, with plans to replicate efforts in other villages as funds are made available.

Infrared Thermography Demonstration: ECCC's team gave ENEE's engineers and technicians a demonstration on infrared thermography. This demonstration was shown at the main sub-station in Tegucigalpa. Infrared cameras can be used in preventive maintenance programs at power plants, sub-stations and on transmission lines. This technology can help ENEE reduce its transmission losses, downtime and blackouts.

Final Report for Honduras Project (2002)

Executive Summary