A third national training workshop on energy systems modelling was held in Asuncion, Paraguay, from 30 October to 3 November. The workshop was organized by UNDESA, UNDP and the Secretariat of Planning for Economic and Social Development, with the support of an external expert from the Royal Institute of Technology of Sweden. Participants from the Secretariat of Planning, the Vice-Ministry of Mines and Energy, the National Electricity Administration, the electricity company Itaipu and the Universidad Nacional de Asuncion were in attendance.
Participants engaged in hands-on exercises to develop scenarios using the energy systems model introduced in earlier workshops. In particular, three key policy areas were explored: i) power sector investment and electricity exports; ii) energy consumption in households, with a focus on reducing dependence on traditional biomass and improving energy efficiency; and iii) transport sector policy, in particular, the expansion of public transport. Side meetings between the various energy sector stakeholders discussed policy issues and how these can be addressed through analysis.
This was the sixth and final workshop of a capacity development project that has transferred an economy-wide model and an energy systems model to the national Government to support sustainable development policy-making.