The milk farmers in Chile's idyllic Los Lagos region are running out of money. They have to spend too much on water and energy. Advised by the "Smart Energy Concepts" initiative, they want to increase efficiency.Project goal: Reducing greenhouse emissions in the agriculture and food production sector Project implementation: With the help of technology transfer, training and competitions, companies are equipped to improve their energy efficiency. Renewable energy will be integrated in the production process. Project partners: Chilean agency for energy efficiency (Agencia Chilena de Eficiencia Energética AChEE), supported by the German Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Construction and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) via the International Climate Initiative (IKI) Project budget: BMUB support: 1,062,014.28 € Project duration: 01/2015 – 09/2019 With its lush green meadows, dark forests and snow-capped volcanoes, the Los Lagos region in Chile is idyllic. It's also home to a whole lot of cows. Half the milk in the country is produced here, most of it in small family-owned business with herds of up to 300 cattle. The farmers often use natural production methods in tune with the environment but more and more agricultural businesses are hitting their limits financially. Too much money is needed to water agricultural land and power operations. If they worked more efficiently, they could save up to 30 or 40 percent of the energy they use. Through training and technology transfer, the Smart Energy Concepts initiative demonstrates how that can be achieved. The project is supported by the International Climate Initiative (IKI). A film by Linda Vierecke
