The Energy Commission has intensified its campaign for Ghanaians to switch to energy-efficient appliances, describing the move as crucial to reducing household electricity bills, mitigating climate change, and ensuring national energy security.
Speaking at a media training workshop in Koforidua, Mr. Richard Donkor, Manager of Energy Efficiency Regulation at the Energy Commission, said Ghana’s growing dependence on electricity-hungry appliances such as air conditioners, microwaves, and heaters is placing increasing pressure on the national grid and the environment.
“Air conditioners are among the most energy-intensive appliances,” he noted. “We must all become energy efficiency conscious because climate change is not waiting for us. Every inefficient appliance we use adds to the burden.”
The Koforidua workshop, part of a nationwide awareness campaign, brought together journalists from across the Eastern Region to build capacity on Ghana’s Energy Efficiency Regulations, 2022.
The initiative is being implemented in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Mr. Donkor underscored the crucial role of the media in promoting energy efficiency awareness, saying journalists are key partners in shaping consumer attitudes and ensuring accountability from importers and retailers.
“How many of us have seen microwaves in the market with the yellow energy label?” he asked. “That label helps consumers make informed decisions. It’s time to ensure all appliances meet our efficiency standards.”
The new Energy Efficiency Regulations, 2022 mandate strict compliance through multiple mechanisms to eliminate substandard appliances from the market.
Explaining the details, Mr. Emmanuel Baba Anaba, Senior Officer of Energy Efficiency Regulation at the Commission, said the framework rests on four pillars: Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS), mandatory labelling, a national appliance registry, and a proposed prohibition clause currently before Parliament.
“Before any appliance enters the Ghanaian market, it must meet the required minimum energy performance standard. If it doesn’t, we won’t accept it,” Mr. Anaba said.
He added that every approved product must carry an easily visible energy label and be registered in the Appliance Energy Efficiency Register, a database designed to track and monitor all approved appliances in the country.
The pending prohibition clause, he said, will make it illegal to manufacture, import, or sell inefficient appliances that do not meet MEPS requirements.
Targeted items include air conditioners, rice cookers, microwaves, decoders, washing machines, water heaters, televisions, fans, inverters, solar panels, and electric motors.
“These measures are not just about compliance but they are about protecting consumers and the environment,” Mr. Anaba explained. “Efficient appliances use less electricity, save money, and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
The Energy Commission’s regional training workshops, scheduled to continue in Ho, Kumasi, Sunyani, Bolgatanga, Tamale, Takoradi, and Cape Coast aim to build a nationwide network of informed advocates for energy conservation.
Mr. Donkor urged consumers to take ownership of the energy efficiency drive, saying, “when you choose efficient appliances, you are not only saving money but you are protecting Ghana’s energy future. Together, we can make efficiency a national habit.”
The Energy Commission reaffirmed its commitment to strict enforcement of the new regulations, stronger collaboration with stakeholders, and sustained public education to make energy efficiency central to Ghana’s green transition and economic resilience.
