Energy Commission has launched two Smart Phone Applications: ‘Freezers Automatic Timer Switcher’ and ‘Refrigerator and Certified Electricians,’ APP in Accra.

The two Apps will enable consumers of electricity and electrical appliances to save energy, access Certified Electrical Wiring professionals, Certified Electrical Wiring Inspectors across the country as well as to verify whether a refrigerator they intend to buy meets Ghana’s energy efficiency standards and has been labelled appropriately.

Speaking at the launch, which coincided with the 8th graduation ceremony of Certified Electrical Wiring Practitioners at the Commission’s headquarters, Minister of Energy, Mr. Boakye Agyarko, commended the Commission for coming up with such brilliant and proactive initiatives to help solve the country’s energy problems.

According to the energy minister, Ghana has in the past implemented various programs aimed at improving the efficient use of electricity with the view of reducing load consumption and cost to consumers.

Mr. Agyarko explained that in the 2007, for instance, government procured and replaced over six million incandescent lamps with energy efficient Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) which he noted lead to a reduction of the load by over 124MW and an energy saving cost of over US$33 million per annum.

“Again, in 2009, the Refrigerator Efficiency Improvement Project was initiated with the objective to transform the refrigerating appliance market from one of old inefficient used popularly called home second hand appliances discarded in Europe but imported into the country and sold to unsuspecting consumers,” he added.

Mr. Agyarko intimated that the project was initiated as a result of the startling revelations by a baseline studies conducted for the Energy Commission by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in 2006.

He said the studies revealed that there were over two million refrigerating appliance in the country which consumed on the average 1,200kWh per unit per annum, which was three times the average rate prevalent in countries with robust energy efficiency standards and labelling regimes.

The energy minister revealed that the implementation of the Refrigerator Efficiency Improvement project as at December 2015 had raked in savings of 400GWh per year, the equivalent of 40% of the output of the Bui Dam.

The average energy consumption of appliances imported following the introduction of Appliance Efficiency and Standards regulations has reduced significantly to about 38kWh per annum from the previous 1,200kWh per year, he added.

He said this achievement notwithstanding, the bulk of used refrigerators in the system remains and continues to drain energy.

In his welcome address, Executive Secretary of the Commission, Mr. Alfred Ofosu Ahenkorah, hinted that effective 1st October, this year, the Commission will enforce to the latter the Electrical Wiring Regulations 2011 L.I. 2008.

He said that with the coming into effect of this regulation, only electricians certified by the Commission would be legally allowed to undertake electrical wiring in the country.

Again, no utility company (Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), NEDCO and Enclave Power) shall connect any facility to the national grid unless that facility is wired by a certified electrical wiring professional. He cautioned.