Ghana gets first energy efficiency testing lab in West Africa
The Air Conditioner and Refrigerator Test Laboratory is the first of its kind in West Africa and will help curtail imports of low-standard and poor-quality equipment
The US ambassador to Ghana, Stephanie Sullivan, has joined the deputy minister for trade and industry Michael Okyere Baafi to inaugurate the new Air Conditioner and Refrigerator Test Laboratory at the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA).
The US government’s Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) gave US$1.84 million in funding for the project under the Ghana Power Compact and the GSA contributed $45,000.
The MCC Ghana Power Compact is investing over $25 million (GHC150 million) in advancing energy efficiency programmes in Ghana. The new laboratory is just one example of the US government’s commitment to infrastructure investment in energy efficiency.
The laboratory is the first of its kind in West Africa, will help curtail the importation of low-standard and poor-quality equipment and appliances to Ghana, at the same time reducing power consumption and related carbon emissions.
“The stakes in the climate crisis couldn’t be higher. We need to adopt clean energy technologies and improve energy efficiency everywhere. This laboratory will put Ghana in a leadership position, helping to enforce strong efficiency standards, reducing emissions and saving Ghanaians money,” said Ambassador Sullivan at the inaugural event.
“It will help ensure high-energy-consuming electrical appliances meet the Energy Commission’s standards and support Ghana’s National Appliance Standards and Labelling Systems Programme.”
Plant, equipment and personnel
The Government of Ghana implemented the project through the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA). MiDA formally handed over the new Air Conditioner and Refrigerator Test Laboratory to the GSA, an agency of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, at Thursday’s ceremony.
The building, laboratory equipment and newly trained personnel will expand the capacity of the GSA and the Energy Commission to test the energy ratings of ductless room air-conditioning (RAC) systems and refrigerators.
The Commission currently relies on third-party laboratory reports generated outside of Ghana.
The laboratory will ensure that such high-energy-consuming electrical appliances imported into Ghana meet the Minimum Energy Performance Standard (MEPS) under the Commission and support Ghana’s National Appliance Standards and Labelling Systems Programme.
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