Aener Energia: the Spanish option in view of the energy crisis in Venezuela

-          Venezuela has experienced a big deficit of generation and energy management attributed to several factors, one of which generated by extensive drought in the reservoir of Hydroelectric "Simon Bolivar" due to climatic phenomenon "El Niño".

-         Within the sector of Power Factor Correction, Uninterruptible Power Supplies and Voltage Stabilizers, Aener Energia is a reference in Europe, and we are one of the few Spanish companies, internationally recognized in this field.

Various measures were taken in Venezuela to avoid the energy crisis which began in 2009. One of the most controversial was the norm for the rationing of electricity in most of the country. In 2010 this measure was cancelled due to the recovery of the reservoirs, the most important: the reservoir named Guri, the largest in Venezuela, for its size and volume of stored water, is the second biggest lake system in the country and it is only exceeded. The Guri’s reservoir or lake is located in Bolivar State, where the Hydroelectric "Simon Bolivar" is running which provides 70% of electricity to Venezuelan territory.

According to the current government, the irresponsible use of the upper classes of the population has a negative impact on the crisis and referred to poor administrative and infrastructure of reservoirs by previous governments. On the other hand, the opposition blames the government for failing to make the investments needed to meet the demands of the country's electricity consumption and electricity infrastructure neglect.

Measures addressed

The party in power during 2010 proposed the installation of power plants with a generating capacity of 6000 megawatts (MW). A rationing plan in Caracas was implemented, which was cancelled after several protests which led to the departure of the then Minister of Electric Power. Angel Rodriguez, who was replaced by Ali Rodriguez Araque, besides this, national companies from private sector were ordered to reduce their electricity consumption, at least 20%.

In the rest of Venezuela, rationing systems were implemented and, even before Easter of 2010, electricity supply was cut off three hours during 3 or 4 days, it is meant that citizens outside Caracas experienced an electric interruption service between 9 to 12 hours per week.

Consequently, the Venezuelan government through the Ministry of Popular Power for Electric Power decreed the resolution published on June 10, 2011 in the Official Gazette of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. The main considerations that the decree emphasizes are:

-          In relation to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the power electric consumption of the population in Venezuela is higher than the Latin American average, indicating a pattern of inefficient consumption.

-          The national energy demand has experienced in recent years excessive growth much higher than the real power requirements, with an increase of over 7%.

-         From the moment measures for energy saving implemented in 2010 stopped, there has been an excessive rise in electricity consumption, which do requires to the Government to establish strategies and guidelines which promote the efficient use of electricity in areas where the National Electricity Corporation is working (CORPOELEC).

So the decree resolves as follows:

-         Promote the improvement of the power factor in industrial consumers: commercial and official ones with loads greater or equal than two hundred kilovolt ampere (200KVA) to reduce the voltage drops and increased the availability of power in the grid.

-         Users of industrial, commercial and official consumers with loads higher than two hundred kilovolt ampere (2000KVA) who do not keep on a power factor higher or equal than 0,9 will be subject to a surcharge in their electric bills.

-         Legal persons of private sector who are exceeding an assigned contracted assigned demand of one megavolt ampere (1 MVA) must take action to keep on a reduction of at least ten percent (10%).

-         Legal persons of private sector, with loads of two hundred kilovolt amperes (200KVA) and one megavolt ampere (1MVA), must  take actions to keep on a reduction of at least ten percent (10%).

-         Some public sector agencies are exempt from complying

-         Failure consecutive and repeated shall result in the suspension of electricity.

Against these measures, the president of the National Association of Users and Consumers (Anauco), Roberto Leon Parilli, has declared to the Organization of American States (OAS), "The supply of electricity in Venezuela is poor since no relevant investments have been made and that the state punishes all users of the national territory with fines, restrictions despite the poor service”

In his statements the Anauco’s President has confirmed having received complaints from people who reported damage to your appliances for energy drops and urged the national government to take into account private groups in order to work together.

Assistance to Venezuelan companies to reduce energy costs

Given this situation, it is important to find solutions to the energy problem and tools which help the assurance of power supply and energy saving efficiently.

In this respect, Aener Energia, a 100% Spanish company specialized in saving and power quality, can offer optimal solutions both socially and economically.

The activity of the company, which was established in 1994, is mainly focused manufacturing of power capacitors, automatic capacitors banks and equipments for the network’s quality such as UPS’s and voltage stabilizers.

From the beginning, Aener Energia has been characterized by providing to the power factor correction market relevant aspects such as integrated product management and service and constant work of R&D+i. Its symbol of identity is the production of a high quality service and attention and personal relationship with its customers.

Throughout its business career, Aener Energia has adapted to the continuous technological changes and its symbol of identity is a high quality service and attention and personal relationship with its customers. These characteristics have allowed it to differentiate itself from competitors and get recognized among companies in the sector of energy saving in the EU and other countries.

The business career of AENER has been marked by a quality policy both in the training of its staff and the product and. In fact, the company establishes and integrates in its organization a quality system based on customer satisfaction and participation of all its employees.

The company has ISO9001-2008 certification; all its products have CE marked and comply with applicable regulations.

Also, Aener Energia has obtained the technical approval of DURE (Management of Rational Energy Use) of Cuba, one of the few companies worldwide to obtain this approval. Also, it is using total control systems of its equipments with testing loads, product traceability procedures and careful choice of components. These factors are crucial to achieve a stringent quality policy.

Since the beginning of its activity, Aener Energia has had a continuous presence in international markets worldwide. The ambitious expansion and implementation plan conducted from the moment of its start-up by the professionals of the company has enabled the company to position itself as the leading international markets like Europe, Latin America or Asia. Also in developing countries where the assurance of power and energy saving are key factors for growth.

In this sense, countries of Central and Eastern Europe, Central America and Caribbean, North and Central Africa, Middle East and Asian countries are very significant markets for the company, present in more than 25 countries on four continents.

With an annual production volume of more than 2.300 equipments, Aener is one of the leading European manufacturers of control and energy saving. In addition, approximately 30% of its units are supplied to installers or distributors and the forecast is to reach 45% by 2015.

Aener Energia is one of the few European companies in the sector of Power Factor Correction, Uninterruptible Power Supply and Voltage Stabilizers, which has an integrated product management and service.

Within its international activity necessary to emphasize its presence in the most important fairs in the world such as: Hanover (Germany), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Mexico City (Mexico), Shanghai and Beijing (China), Lisbon (Portugal), Havana (Cuba) or Madrid.