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Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
ZIMBABWE and other Sadc countries are working on a regional strategy that seeks to promote energy efficiency in what is likely to lead to phasing out of some electrical appliances that consume more energy.

The aim is to reduce emissions and consumption bill, at a time when the region is said to have limited access to power.

Target areas include lighting, refrigeration and transformers which are viewed as some of the high electricity users.

Some of the Sadc member states are meeting in Victoria Falls at the workshop on country profiles on leapfrogging to efficient lighting, appliances and equipment to deliberate on the issue, following a regional market study undertaken recently.

Speaking at the workshop, climate change management, director in the reconfigured Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Culture and Rural Resettlement Dr Washington Zhakata said Zimbabwe can save up to 300 megawatts it implements various energy saving strategies.

He said 75 percent of Sadc energy is generated from fossil fuels hence increasing electricity demand will also increase carbon dioxide emissions.

“Sadc is reeling under the effects of climate change, water shortages and drought frequencies which affect general performance of economies. The region’s population is growing and Sadc has set an ambitious industrialisation strategy which requires optimum power generation,” said Dr Zhakata.

“Development of regional efficient appliances and equipment in Sadc comes on the back of the climate challenges. In the request for technical assistance Sadc cited rising energy demand due to economic development and increase in use of electrical appliances, limited access and low availability of energy efficient household appliances on the market.”

He said an energy efficiency development strategy will ensure that the region meets its economic developmental aspirations without reneging on its environmental obligations such as the Paris Agreement.

Dr Zhakata said Zimbabwe developed various enablers to save energy such as the National Climate Police and Smart Agriculture Manual as well as banning inefficient lights.

National designated energy focal person in the Ministry, Mr Elisha Moyo said there is a need for coordination among member states to come up with a policy roadmap.

“Ten countries requested for technical assistance to assess appliances which have potential to reduce emissions. The idea is to come up with a regional strategy on energy like is done in Europe where appliances which draw too much electricity are not allowed, as a way of reducing energy bill and emissions,” he said, adding that lighting is the main mitigation opportunity.

An expert in energy efficiency Dr Dimitris Papastefanakis who is a consultant to European Union, challenged Sadc countries to make energy efficiency one of the main topics on energy policy.

“It’s important to push industry towards reducing energy consumption which is good for profits. By reducing energy consumption we create new space for new access by peri-urban consumers,” he said.

Another energy expert, Dr Peter Zhou said energy efficiency is a global issue that has become prominent in Sadc.

He said Sadc member states had set a target to come up with cost effective tariffs by 2019 with focus on policy and regulatory framework, capacity building, raising awareness, finding ways of getting funding, using and developing own technologies.

Dr Zhou said there is a need for an enabling environment towards energy efficiencies. — @ncubeleon