By Victoria Onyisi
The Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and other stakeholders, have initiated a training programme aimed at equipping stakeholders with the necessary skills for enforcing energy performance standards for Air Conditioners (AC) in Nigeria.
The one-day training workshop commenced on Wednesday at ECN Headquarters in Abuja on air conditioners monitoring, verification and enforcement (MVE), is an integral part of the broader project for scaling-up energy-efficient and climate-friendly cooling in Nigeria.”
The Director-General of ECN, Dr. Mustapha Abdullahi, explained that the overarching objective of the project is to expedite the transition to energy-efficient air conditioners (ACs) with climate-friendly (low-GWP refrigerant) in residential, commercial and public buildings.
This initiative aligns with Nigeria’s climate targets in the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and aims to do so in a cost-effective and sustainable manner.
Abdullahi, outlined that one of the key project activities is providing training on monitoring, verification, and enforcement (MVE) to support the implementation of upcoming minimum energy performance standards (MEPS).
According to him, the training is specifically designed for relevant enforcement and regulatory agencies of the government and vendors of such products.
“The main objectives of this training workshop are: to build the capacity of relevant government institutions to effectively enforce energy performance standards of air conditioning equipment to enhance their ability to carry out surveillance activities in the air conditioner sector to monitor compliance with these standards, to harness feedback from stakeholders and solicit their buy-in regarding the new energy performance standards proposed for air conditioner standards.”
He further elaborated that the workshop would include paper presentations covering various aspects of air conditioner market monitoring, verification, and evaluation in Nigeria.
Topics, he added will include but are not limited to, energy efficiency calculation for air conditioners, application of ISO 16358-1:2013 on seasonal energy performance, Product Registration System (PRS), and market surveillance for labeling and verification testing.
Highlighting the relevance of the project, the DG, emphasised the well-known and felt negative impact of climate change.
He underscored the project’s importance in contributing to one of the NDC’s targets, aiming for a 2.5 per cent per year reduction in energy intensity through energy efficiency best practices across all sectors of the nation’s economy.
Abdullahi, recalled that the Air Conditioner Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) were first approved in Nigeria in 2017 but were scarcely enforced due to various reasons, including the lack of equipment for verification testing by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).
With support from GIZ and the EU, this barrier has been addressed, and an air conditioner biometric testing facility has been procured for SON. The project also proposes a periodic review (every 5 years) of existing air conditioner MEPS to incorporate technological advancements.
The ECN boss affirmed that the outcomes of this training workshop would complement ongoing efforts to strengthen the capacity of government agencies concerned with market surveillance and the enforcement of air conditioner MEPS.
The targeted participants include agencies such as the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), National Environmental Standards and Regulatory Enforcement Agency, Nigeria Customs Service, National Ozone Office, Federal Ministry of Environment, Energy Commission of Nigeria and the NESP Team.
He urged all participants to view the training as an opportunity to contribute to the implementation of the revised NDC for a better environment.
The Project:
The Scaling Up Energy Efficient and Climate Friendly Cooling in Nigeria’s NDC Revision Project is an initiative which aims to revolutionise Nigeria’s cooling landscape by accelerating the adoption of energy-efficient practices and fostering a more environmentally conscious approach to cooling solutions.
Funded by the Clean Cooling Collaborative (CCC), the three-year project, which runs from 2022 to 2024, is domiciled and being implemented by the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) in line with its mandate with technical support from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and and United for Efficiency (U4E).
About ECN:
The Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) was established by Act No. 62 of 1979, as amended by Act No. 32 of 1988 and Act No. 19 of 1989 , with the statutory mandate for the strategic planning and co-ordination of national policies in the field of Energy in all its ramifications.
By the Mandate, the ECN is the apex government organ empowered to carry out overall energy sector planning and policy implementation, promote the diversification of the energy resources through the development and optimal utilization of all, including the introduction of new and alternative Energy resources like Solar, Wind, Biomass and Nuclear Energy.
About UNEP:
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global authority on the environment.
UNEP’s mission is to inspire, inform, and enable nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.
For over 50 years, UNEP has worked with governments, civil society, the private sector and UN entities to address humanity’s most pressing environmental challenges – from restoring the ozone layer to protecting the world’s seas and promoting a green, inclusive economy.
UNEP is driving transformational change by drilling down on the root causes of the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss and pollution.
UNEP’s work is focused on helping countries transition to low-carbon and resource-efficient economies, strengthening environmental governance and law, safeguarding ecosystems, and providing evidence-based data to inform policy decisions.
