MiDA Supports GSA With USD$ 5.5m To Promote Energy Efficiency

The Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) is supporting the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) with about US$5.5 million to undertake activities aimed at promoting energy efficiency and conservation.

The funds, under the Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact II are part of a second five-year US$498 million signed by the Government of Ghana and the US Government to improve the country’s power sector. This entered into force in September 2016.

MiDA and GSA have subsequently signed an Implementing Entity Agreement (IEA) to undertake a number of activities in connection with the Energy Efficiency and Demand Side and Management (EEDSM) Project.

The project consists of four key activities:

Development and Enforcement of Standards and Labels Activity – which will develop the regulation and enforcement for the use of higher efficiency appliances, aimed at saving overall energy consumption.
Improved Energy Auditing Activity – which will build national capacity in energy auditing through establishing training centres and implementing programs for evaluating energy consumption and determining ways to save and conserve energy.
Education and Public Information Activity – will sensitize the public about energy efficiency and conservation through behavioural change.
Demand Side Management Infrastructure Activity – which involves undertaking a pilot solar program and getting the public to use solar systems for addressing the high lighting loads, as well as installation of energy efficient street lighting to replace existing high energy consuming street lights.
Expected Impact
Collectively, the activities will significantly reduce peak demand, ensure adequate supply for all and reduce investments in expensive additional generation facilities. Increase in customer knowledge and use of energy efficiency products will result in savings for households and businesses.
Energy efficiency standards and labelling are being developed to provide information on the energy efficiency performance of 20 energy consuming appliances and products available on the market, to help remove low-quality energy wasting products from sale and consumer households.

In addition, the standards and labelling that do exist are benefitting greatly from technical updates and enforcement support.




Standards Development Process
Under the agreement, MiDA will procure international standards for adoption by the GSA directly from International Standards Organisations (ISOs).

But, before the Standards are purchased for adoption, the Technical Committee (TC) and related committees constituted by the GSA and EC shall identify and select the relevant ISOs for the identified products. This activity is of utmost importance to help in the selection and collection of Standards to be purchased.

The GSA will then follow the Standards Development Process, which involves a multi-stakeholder and consensus building approach, to develop the Standards. This, typically, begins with a request initiating a new work item proposal, formal approval, and assigning the relevant TC to undertake the project from the preparatory stages, right through the public comment stage, to gazetting and publication.

Presentation of office equipment As part of the IEA, MiDA, on December 22, presented a set of office equipment, including computers and accessories, printers, photocopiers and a projector, to GSA to support its work.

At a short ceremony to hand over the items, Mr. Martin Eson-Benjamin, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MiDA said: “We are pleased to present a set of office equipment, valued at sixty five thousand, seven hundred and ninety cedis and eighty-eight pesewas (GH¢65,790.88), to support your work”.

“We are committed to work with stakeholders to deliver the Compact for Ghanaians. We have been collaborating closely with the GSA to upgrade and adopt standards for 20 energy consuming products and appliances in Ghana. The energy efficiency standards and labelling are being developed to provide information on the performance of the selected appliances and products on the market.”

Mr Eson-Benjamin noted that, so far, the existing standards for “Refrigerators” and “Airconditioners” in Lot 1 have been upgraded or revised, and new standards for “Ceiling Fans & Regulators”, “Television Sets”, “Satellite Decoders/TV Signal Boxes” and “Lighting – (Domestic/Commercial Lighting/Street Lighting)” have been adopted by the GSA Technical Committee.

“We wish to assure the management and staff of GSA that we are fully committed to this partnership and look forward to continually enjoy this collaboration as we work on the remaining activities which are: Developing standards for energy consuming products in the other three (3) lots, and the Installation of Electronic Testing Labs”.
The items were received on behalf of GSA by its Director-General, Prof. Alex Dodoo.

He thanked MiDA for the support, and noted that the partnership would help promote energy efficiency and conservation in power use, which are needed for the country’s transformation agenda.

“We aim to become a customer-focused world-class standards organisation, with a mission is to contribute towards the growth of industry, protect consumers, and facilitate trade through standards, metrology and conformity assessment.”

The GSA is in the process of gazetting the upgraded and adopted standards, following which a Legislative Instrument will be drafted for Parliament’s promulgation.

List of Products for Standards and Labels Programme under Compact II

Lot 1

Refrigerators – (Upgrade/ Revision)
Airconditioners – (Upgrade/Revision)
Ceiling Fans & Regulators
Television Sets
Satellite Decoders/TV Signal Boxes
Lighting – (Domestic /Commercial Lighting/Street Lighting)
Lot 2

Solar Panels – (Upgrade/Revision)
Batteries – (Upgrade/Revision)
Inverters – (Upgrade/Revision)
Electric Motors
Electric Water Heaters
Lot 3

Microwaves
Washing Machines
Computers
Blenders
Standing Fans
Lot 4

Distribution Transformers
Pre-paid Energy Meters
Rice Cookers
Kettles

Source: Daily Graphic