Ongoing consultations for the Development of Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) for lighting with EAC and SADC Member states

With support of the project on Energy Efficient Lighting and Appliances (EELA) in Southern and Eastern Africa, two regional Technical Committees for the development of regionally harmonized Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) have been established in the EAC and the SADC region.

The TCs held their first meetings on 27 November 2019 in Lusaka, Zambia and on 29 November 2019 in Nairobi, Kenya with the agreement to develop harmonised MEPS for lighting and in the next step for further appliances. At the first TC meetings the technical specifications were presented and discussed, and it has been agreed to hold a series of webinars to support the process until the next physical meeting.

Two webinars were conducted in the 1^st quarter of the year 2020; in January and February respectively to present and discuss the proposed regional MEPS on lighting covering general service lamps, street, office and off-grid lighting.  The events were very successful and well attended by participants that eagerly contributed to the development of the draft MEPS document.  During the webinars; various questions raised were explained in detail by the consultants responsible for the development of MEPS.  The participants appreciated the importance of having the Standards to avoid low quality products from entering the regions.

The consultations are still ongoing at the national level. The national TCs are expected to provide comments on the draft MEPS by the end of March 2020 with the aim of adopting the documents in May 2020 alongside the Kigali Energy Forum. Other proceedings that were lining up for March and April include a regional study tour for EELA focal persons to the test and regulatory facilities in Pretoria, South Africa as well as the training for experts from the testing centre of the EAC and SADC countries at the Swedish Energy Agency in Sweden. however these events have been suspended due to the ongoing developments of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The exact dates for events will be communicated as soon as the ban is lifted.