A more efficient use of energy would lead to less CO2 emissions and thereby reduce global warming. Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) and energy efficiency labels are a low cost strategy to follow this aim and to increase the number of energy efficient tools on the market. The ROCA project is working on this in its partner countires. This publication presents some results and recommendations for Burkina Faso.
The growing demand for electricity has several implications, mainly more frequent power shortages as production fails to meet the increased demand, leading to major investments in additional power plants. This additional electricity production will increase CO2 emissions, contributing to global warming. These effects could be reduced if energy was used more efficiently. Compared to the economic cost of installing new power plants, energy efficiency (EE) is a low-cost alternative for meeting the country's energy needs. Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) and energy efficiency labels are one of the most useful tools for increasing the energy efficiency of products on the market. MEPSs indicate the minimum energy efficiency level of products that can be introduced on the market, by eliminating the least efficient appliances. Energy labelling, on the other hand, informs consumers of the energy-saving potential and environmental benefits of choosing more efficient products. It thereby increases sales of the most efficient products and preparing the market for the application of stricter standards in the future.
One might think that a continuous increase in product efficiency would imply an increase in their price. However, experience has shown that the prices of efficient products fall as new technologies appear with even more efficient models. In this sense, more and more countries are implementing standards and labels worldwide. First including the most energy-intensive products, such as refrigerators and air conditioners, and then integrating other electrical products.
This report recommends the implementation of energy efficiency regulations in Burkina Faso in a two-stage process:
- application of existing standards and labels as soon as possible and on a mandatory basis,
- updating of standards to a more stringent level by 2026 at the latest, followed by a second update in 2027 for refrigerators and 2028 for domestic air conditioners.
Based on the data collected and international best practices, recommendations are provided for energy efficiency standards and energy labels for refrigerators and domestic air conditioners. The adoption of advanced energy efficiency standards and the transition to low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants are necessary to achieve significant greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions. It is recommended that, in addition to the label agreed within the UEMOA framework on the energy efficiency of refrigeration and air-conditioning appliances, the label should also contain information on the refrigerant used, its quantity and its GWP. The adoption of increasingly ambitious standards and labels will not result in increased costs for end-users. With the cost of electricity set to rise in the future, the introduction of energy standards and labels, coupled with stakeholders' understanding of the life-cycle cost analysis of refrigeration and air-conditioning products, will lead to energy savings for end-users, which will benefit the Burkinabe economy.
Background
The project ROCA (Refroidissement Respectueux de l’Ozone et du Climat en Afrique de l’Ouest et Centrale) is co-financed by the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. It is implemented by GIZ in cooperation with the partner countries' national ozone units. In Burkina Faso, the project is implemented in cooperation with the Direction Générale de la Préservation de l’Environnement (DGPE) du Ministère de l’Environnement, de l’Eau et de l’Assainissement (MEEA), to which the national ozone bureau belongs.