Newsletter Issue 15 March 2021

Project Manager’s Message

Greetings from the S&L news desk.

I am delighted to have joined passionate and hardworking Energy Efficiency teams at the DMRE and SANEDI as well as to be receiving support from CLASP for our work to develop and promote an energy efficiency legislative framework for appliance and lighting products in South Africa.

This final quarter of the financial year has been focused on institutionalizing and anchoring the S&L Programme into its new home at SANEDI to prepare for the implementation of planned programme activities from the commencement of the new financial year- starting 1 April 2021. The easing of lockdown regulations is also fostering some normalcy and an increased pace of collaborative work with key stakeholders such as the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS), the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS). much emphasis has also been on follow up engagements to move the needle on the processing of safety and performance regulations for general service lamps. we are glad to have received the news of the dtic having published the proposed regulations for public comment. details can be accessed in the article below.

would like to take this opportunity to thank Dr. Theo Covary for his continued support to the Programme and wish him the very best in his current and future endeavors. I also extend my heartfelt gratitude to you, our audience for your warm welcome in response to our February Newsletter. I look forward to engaging with you further as we work to advance the mandate of the Standards and Labelling Programme.

HAVE YOUR SAY- GENERAL SERVICE LAMPS REGULATIONS GAZETTED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT

CLASP has been instrumental in supporting the SANEDI implemented, DMRE S&L Programme to develop high performance and safety regulations for general service lamps in South Africa. The draft performance (VC 9109) and Safety (VC 9110) regulations were developed and processed through the NRCS to facilitate the transition from inefficient incandescent and halogen lighting to more energy efficient, cost effect alternatives such as LED lighting products. Minister Ebrahim Patel at the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition published the proposed regulations for public comment on 1 March 2021, giving you the public a 60 day window of opportunity to share your remarks

Access COMPULSORY SPECIFICATION FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND FUNCTIONAL PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS OF GENERAL SERVICE LAMPS (GSLs) - VC 9109 for public comment here

Access COMPULSORY SPECIFICATION FOR SAFETY REQUIREMENTS OF GENERAL SERVICE LAMPS (GSLs) - VC 9110 for public comment here

UPGRADE OF THE NRCS REGISTRATION ONLINE DATABASE

The NRCS Online registration database for the application of Letters of Authority implements the final stage of a phased approach to migrating registrations from the CRM system to the recently launched new online system.

The S&L Programme supports the system upgrade and is working with the national regulator to provide training and capacity building opportunities for effective use of the system by applicants and their representatives. Keep posted for announcements of the upcoming training events.

The long-awaited online registration database, which the project truly believes will be a game changer, has made it through user acceptance testing. The NRCS, supported by the S&L project team, will be hosting an industry meeting on the 24th of March to present the rollout plan. Please look out for the meeting invitation – enquiries can be sent to Lerato.Maluleke@nrcs.org.za

WHAT CANNOT BE MEASURED, CANNOT BE IMPROVED

CLASP has launched a new digital tool for efficiency policy analysis called Mepsy: The Appliance & Equipment Climate Impact Calculator. This free planning tool is tailored to assist key policy decision makers and researchers to evaluate the energy and environmental impacts of appliance energy efficiency policy options. Access and learn more about the Mepsy here.

In local news, the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF), released the Draft Methodological Guidelines for Quantification of GHG Emissions, on the 1st March 2021. The Guideline describes the reporting methodology as specified in the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act, 2004: National Greenhouse Gas Emission Reporting Regulations (NGERs). The purpose of this Guideline is to provide guidance to reporting companies on methodologies to apply when quantifying GHG emissions. Commentary is due on 31 March 2021. For more information or assistance on any of the above, please contact - Joslin Lydall - joslinl@catalystsolutions.co.za, 084 299 6873 or Christo Engelbrecht - christo@catalystsolutions.co.za, 084 513 8177.

GETTING YOU OUT OF THE DARK ABOUT EARTH HOUR

Earth Hour exists to encourage increased awareness of non-essential energy use and the impact it has on the environment. You may have remembered to turn off your appliances and lights from 20:30- 21:30 or any other hour in the day on 28 March 2021, if not, it’s never too late to do your part. This celebration is in its 12th year of being observed and is increasingly gaining moment in making us pause to think about our dependence on appliances and lighting products and how we consume energy when not necessary.

We at the S&L Programme encourage the use of less energy intensive tools in your home. We also advise that you unplug or completely shut down appliances that are often on standby mode- consuming energy despite not providing any useful output.

Here are a few ideas of what to get up to when you decide to switch off for an hour:

1. Enjoy the outdoors and star gaze
2. Have a candle-lit dinner
3. Plan to spend the hour with friends and family outside your home- just be sure to take all Covid-19 related precautions and be safe!

Read all about the first ever Earth hour virtual spotlight here