The Department of Energy (DoE) has unveiled an energy efficient label for domestic appliances in a bid to promote energy savings in South Africa.  

The South African Energy Efficiency Label would be attached to all appliances that meet the minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) so that consumers have a choice when buying appliances. The label would include information on the energy consumption level of appliances.

The label and an accompanying ‘Save Energy’ logo was announced by Energy Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson during the Africa Utility Week in Cape Town.

“We would like to urge all South Africans to support the national effort to improve energy efficiency,” she said.

A campaign called Appliance Check would be introduced to raise awareness of the use of the label and the benefits of using energy efficient appliances.

These would include air conditioners, washing machines, electric ovens, refrigerators, electric geysers, audio and video equipment, dishwashers and electric lamps. Labels would be attached to appliances that have been designed to meet minimum energy efficiency standards.  MEPS for electric geysers were also expected to be promulgated during the course of this year.

Joemat-Pettersson said the department had finalised the label designs and developed guidelines to assist suppliers with the label dimensions.

The label would only be enforceable from April 1, 2017, to give appliance suppliers time to switch to the new label.

The MEPS and the label were achieved through collaboration between stakeholders which include the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS), the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications, appliance manufacturers and the retail sector.

The launch of the label dovetailed with the roll-out of the ‘Save Energy’ campaign announced by President Jacob Zuma in March. 

Joemat-Pettersson said South Africa had to face the uncomfortable truth that it was among the world’s least energy efficient countries in terms of its economy. South Africa was also the eleventh-highest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world.

While the successful Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme was helping to lower emissions, a vital strategy was to aim for increased targets on the reduction in national energy consumption by 2030.

The DoE said South Africa had successfully completed the establishment of the Energy Efficiency Target Monitoring System in 2015 to track targets set out in the 2005 South Africa National Energy Efficiency Strategy.

“South Africa has, so far, achieved an economy-wide energy efficiency improvement of 23.7% relative to the 2000 baseline – well below the 12% overall energy demand reduction that was committed to in 2005 through this strategy,” the DoE pointed out.

Work to ensure that all government buildings become more energy efficient was also ongoing.

“A few of our government buildings are already leading by example in terms of being green and energy efficient. These include [the DoE’s] Environmental House, [the Department of Public Service and Administration’s] Batho Pele House and Freedom Park in Pretoria,” said Joemat-Pettersson.