The capacity of the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) to ensure conformity to energy efficiency standards has been boosted with the construction of a US$1.
89 million laboratory to test imported refrigerators and air conditioners.
The facility, which can take up to 72 hours to test refrigerators and 24 hours to test air conditioners, has a minimum capacity of annually testing the energy ratings of 96 ductless room air conditioners of up to 12 kilowatts and 42 refrigeration appliances and chest freezers of up to 600 litres.
Prior to the construction of the facility, the Energy Commission (EC) relied on the report of third-party laboratories outside the country to rate appliances.
The project was facilitated by the Millennium Development Authority (MIDA) and jointly funded by the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and the GSA, with the MMC providing US$1.84 million and the GSA, US$45,000.
Madam Stephanie Sullivan, the United States (US)Ambassador to Ghana, who joined the Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr Michael Okyere Baafi, to commission the facility, stationed at the GSA Head Office in Accra, said the MCC’s contribution to Ghana -US$25 million- had been invested under the Energy Efficiency and Demand Side Management Project of the Ghana Power Compact to advance energy programmes that would conserve energy resources and prepare Ghana to address challenges of changing global climate.
She emphasised the need to adopt clean energy and improve energy efficiencies, adding that, “the stakes could not be higher as the climate crisis poses an existential threat to every human being on the planet.”
Mr Okyere urged the GSA to look at the commercial aspect of running the facility, saying, “this project can offer services to others in the sub region so that the GSA can make enough profit to build additional facilities.”
The Chairman of the GSA Board, Professor Felix Charles Mills-Robertson, said the opening of the facility was in line with preparations for the introduction of the Import Certification Scheme, which would require certification and marking for some selected high-risk goods that met standards.
The facility, he said would also support the work of the Commission under the Energy Efficient Appliance Standards and labelling regime that demanded importers and retailers to display a label that indicated the energy efficiency rating of the product before the first retail sale.
“Customers should, therefore, be on the lookout for the standardisation mark alongside the energy efficiency label of the energy commission” he said.
The Chairman said 46 young engineers, and office staff of the GSA had been trained to maintain to facility.
The project, which started in June 2020 was managed by SMEC International Pty Limited and carried out by GHS Housing and CR InterTrade limited within a one-year period.
GNA
