Sida’s Energy Efficient Lighting and Appliances (EELA) project
Promoting the market transformation for energy efficient lighting and appliances in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sida‘s “Energy Efficient Lighting and Appliances in EAC and SADC” (EELA) project aims to promote the market transformation for energy efficient lighting and appliances in the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) regions. The project, which is implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation in cooperation with the EAC and SADC, is currently in its 6-months preparatory phase.
Private sector engagement will be a key factor in this market transformation. Market-based incentives for increased energy efficiency need to be motivated and cost effective in most countries. However, to be effective, market-based incentives must relate to existing legislation and regulations.
The EELA project will therefore support a common, regional agenda for regulation and trade harmonisation regarding requirements on efficient high-quality lighting and appliances. This effort will include the implementation of minimum energy performance standards as well as test laboratories, compliance certification and market surveillance measures.
The first project workshop was held with all member states on 23 and 24 October 2018 in Windhoek, Namibia. It brought together the SADC Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (SACREEE), the East African Centre of Excellence for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (EACREEE), UNIDO and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and involved learning about national and regional initiatives within in Sub-Saharan Africa, including the South Africa’s Residential Standards and Labelling (S&L) Programme, the EU funded Action on ‘Enhancement of a Sustainable Regional Energy Market in the Eastern Africa-Southern Africa-Indian Ocean region’ (ESREM) and UNEP and CTCN activities. More information and presentations given at the workshop can be found here.
In February 2019, outputs from the EELA preparatory phase, i.e. lighting market screening as well as inventories of existing regulation, standards, and testing facilities, will be validated by SADC and EAC member states and form the base for continued activities in the coming five years.