August 2014

SOUTHERN AFRICAN has identified two projects for consideration under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).

The CDM allows a country with an emission-reduction or emission-limitation commitment under the Kyoto Protocol to implement an emission-reduction project in developing countries.

This mechanism stimulates sustainable development and emission reductions, while giving industrialized countries some flexibility in how they meet their emission reduction or limitation targets.

Following a meeting with the Regional Collaboration Centre of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Member States utilities of the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) agreed to submit two regional programmatic CDM projects for consideration by the UN.

These are the light-emitting diode (LED) and solar water heaters.

LED is a highly energy-efficient lighting technology and has the potential to improve the energy situation in the region as it uses less energy and lasts longer than incandescent lighting, which is currently being used by most SADC countries.

Solar water heaters have the capacity to ensure the availability of energy in the region.

Implementation of these demand side management programmes has seen southern Africa saving about 4,561 megawatts (MW) of electricity between 2009 and 2013.

It is envisaged that the SADC region will save more than 6,000 MW by 2018 if such initiatives are implemented according to plan.

In this regard, SAPP utilities are in the process of compiling data for the submission of a Prior Consideration Forms to the UNFCCC for the two programmatic projects on LED and Solar Water Heaters.

All SAPP utilities have indicated their willingness to participate in the two projects, with the e SAPP Coordination Centre based in Harare, Zimbabwe coordinating the projects.

SAPP is a regional body that coordinates the planning, generation, transmission and marketing of electricity on behalf of Member State utilities in SADC. sardc.net