EELA-regional; Energy Efficient Lighting and Appliances

Outcome 1: - EELA Review and Planning Workshop was held in November 2022 in Namibia with participants from EELA PCU, Executive Directors of EACREEE and SACREEE, EELA Focal Points from Kenya, Mozambique and Namibia, and SEA. The workshop reflected on activities undertaken in the project, proposed changes to accommodate preparatory work on a regional Product Registration System and labelling initiative and discussed the conceptualizing of the next phase of the EELA project. - Engagement with EELA Focal Points has been conducted in person and online on regular basis. Topics have included validation of the EELA Regional Compliance Framework, and development of national EELA projects contributing to policy implementation at national level. - National Support for Implementation of Compliance Framework has materialized as national EELA workshops in Uganda, Rwanda, Namibia, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe to create awareness, build capacity and align national policies with regional harmonization objectives, enhancing the regional regulatory environment for EELA. - Annual EELA Stakeholder Forum 2023 was held in Kenya under the theme "EmPowering Energy Efficient Appliances for Greater Livelihoods in EAC and SADC." It brought together key regional and international stakeholders to track progress, raise awareness, showcase trends, and explore market potential. The first EELA awards were introduced to recognize outstanding leadership in promoting energy-efficient appliances in EAC and SADC. Outcome 2: - In the SADC region, regionally harmonized MEPS for lighting products were approved in April 2021. Between June 2022 and May 2023, early mover countries (Eswatini, Namibia, Mozambique, South Africa and DRC) started adopting the regional MEPS as national standards. Support to facilitate the adoption process was organized by EELA as in-person national workshops. - East African Standards Committee adopted the MEPS for lighting products in July 2022, and EAC Partner States are mandated to adopt the standard within six months. Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda have progressed well on national levels. The MEPS also address the local production and sales of lighting products that do not comply with the standards. - The EELA Project and UNEPs United for Efficiency (U4E) programme have established a collaboration for the development of MEPS for household refrigerators and room air conditioners. The draft MEPS were presented to the regional technical committees of the EAC and SADC regions (Sep/Oct 2021) and was adopted regionally in SADC in November 2023. Several countries are being supported by U4E to adopt on national level. In EAC, Rwanda has progressed to adopt MEPS for household refrigerators and room air conditioners on national level. - A Regional Compliance Framework to enforce EELA policies and thereby facilitate collaboration between participating countries has been developed. It has received support from stakeholders in both SADC and EAC regions. National sensitization meetings and virtual workshops have been conducted to validate the framework, enhance compliance efforts and coordinate among countries. - The development of the EAC Regional Energy Efficiency Policy has been supported by EELA under the EACREEE subcontract, aiming to provide a regional framework with targets for EE appliances. The draft policy has been presented. Outcome 3: - Capacity building at institutional, organizational and individual levels has advanced through the development of an EELA e-Learning Platform and an online training package covering key aspects of EELA that are relevant to the EAC and SADC regions. A Memorandum of Understanding between EELA project and Kafue Gorge Regional Training Centre (KGRTC) was signed, formalizing a partnership to co-deliver capacity building training. - Capacities for market surveillance on lighting products were enhanced through provision of portable lighting test equipment to all Member States. Virtual training workshops were conducted, to guide market surveillance activities and inform policy decisions. - The EELA project capacitate regional reference laboratories in Uganda, Mozambique and Zambia that will service the testing requirements in their respective regions and act as reference laboratories to national laboratories. Representatives from the reference laboratories, the ministries of energy of the three countries and standard bodies were invited to a training in Sweden, which included a visit to Swedish testing labs to learn about specifications for the procurement of the equipment for the labs, and lab set-up and operation. Outcome 4: - The EELA project website was developed and launched, and social media accounts were established to promote awareness and share information. - EELA participated in regional and international energy and climate events to enhance project visibility; ARE Energy Access Investment Forum 2022 in Tanzania and Côte d'Ivoire and an UNIDO-hosted side event organized back-to-back with the Africa Energy Indaba in South Africa. - EELA supported the development of regional energy efficiency labels for appliances in SADC and EAC regions, and engaged with stakeholders to advance adoption and implementation of labels. Outcome 5: The EELA Technical Assistance and Co-financing Facility was established to support energy efficient projects in EAC and SADC countries, with three main windows: technical assistance for energy users, co-financing for energy service providers, and co-financing for manufacturers transitioning to EE products. During the reporting period, eight applications were approved for support, and plans for scaling up the facility are underway, with discussions ongoing with potential partners. Outcome 6: The sixth outcome area was added late 2023 since when the program also encompasses an assessment for EELA in the ECOWAS region which was requested by the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency. The overall objective of the ECOWAS amendment is to develop the intervention strategy for the expansion of the, EELA program in East and Southern Africa to the ECOWAS region. More specifically, the ECOWAS amendment will analyse the current situation in the region and identify high impact activities which are most relevant for the ECOWAS region. It is the aim to integrate these activities in the next phase of the overall EELA project.

The overall objective of the regional EELA project is to achieve improved access to sustainable energy and mitigation of negative externalities of the energy system by promoting a market transformation for energy efficient lighting and appliances in the EAC and SADC region. More specifically, the project aims to create market and institutional conditions to enable a sustainable and inclusive transformation of the sector towards an increased diffusion of efficient lighting products and appliances. It will support the increased use of energy efficient high-quality lighting and appliances through the engagement of private sector companies as well as enabling regional regulatory and trade harmonisation. The current assessment is that EELA the project is delivering according to plan and that there are several interesting development paths that will be explored in the coming period. These are for example an expansion to West Africa, the opening national financing windows, making EELA a multi country contribution as well as tailoring a specific EELA support to CLASP. EELA project outcomes are: Outcome 1 - Regional mechanism and platform established to coordinate actions on market transformation of energy efficient lighting and appliances including the support of national Code of Conduct Programs and the exchange among the Member States. Outcome 2 - Regional policy and regulatory environment for energy efficient lighting and appliances in the SADC and EAC region is improved, taking into consideration climate change impact and gender responsiveness. Outcome 3 - Capacities of key institutions, testing centres and stakeholder groups are strengthened. Outcome 4 - Awareness among market players and policy makers on energy efficient lighting and appliances is enhanced. Outcome 5 - Incentive mechanisms to encourage the uptake of EELA based projects in SADC and EAC established. Outcome 6 - Market for EELA in ECOWAS is assessed and intervention strategy for project extension to the ECOWAS region is developed and validated. (added in 2023)