* Targeting replacement of 415,000 fluorescent tubes to save over 9.3 megawatts (MW) on the national grid
* Electricity lighting is estimated to account for around 30% of power demand in the country
* Lighting is thus a very important aspect of the demand that ESCOM had to consider
* In addressing electricity demand-capacity gap in the county through public awareness campaigns and direct interventions
By Duncan Mlanjira
Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) has introduced and advanced LED Tube lighting project in which it is replacing inefficient fluorescent tubes with more energy efficient light emitting diodes (LED) Tubes for industry, all government departments and commercial buildings.
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This was announced on Tuesday at Sunbird Mount Soche Hotel in Blantyre during a interactions with industrial and commercial customers, where ESCOM’s Chief Executive Officer, Kamkwamba Kumwenda said the project is targeting replacement of 415,000 fluorescent tubes to save over 9.3 megawatts (MW) on the national grid.
“Electricity lighting is estimated to account for around 30% of power demand in the country,” said Kumwenda at the meeting graced by Minister of Energy, Ibrahim Matola.
“Lighting is thus a very important aspect of the demand that ESCOM had to consider in addressing electricity demand-capacity gap in the county through public awareness campaigns and direct interventions.
“Phase 1 of the project is underway in all government and public buildings and Phase 2 will involve commercial and industrial customers.”
ESCOM CEO Kamkwamba Kumwenda
Together with Wiseman Kabwazi, Senior Manager-Commercial & Customer Services, Kumwenda said this is under Demand Side Management (DSM) initiative “to reduce electricity consumption and free up some of the capacity for other customers to benefit and reduce load shedding”.
Similar interactive meetings continue on Wednesday in Lilongwe with Mzuzu expected on Friday “to create awareness among our customers on the importance of this project”.
“It is no secret that adequate and reliable source of energy is key to every nation’s socio-economic development, as it is a driver of the productive sectors of society.
“However, the growth in demand for electricity has not been matched by corresponding increase in capacity due to high population growth and under-investment in generation.
”ESCOM is currently forced to load shed a daily average of around 80MW and the situation could have been worse had ESCOM not proactively implemented demand side measures.”
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He said the energy efficient lighting projects date back in 2011 when ESCOM and the government implemented the removal of ordinary incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) — popularly known as Energy Savers, with funding from the DfID.
“A total of 2 million bulbs were replaced that saved over 27MW,” he said. “Over the years, ESCOM has continued to fund the implementation of energy efficient lighting projects to effectively manage the demand-supply gap with the introduction of more efficient lighting technology using LED.
“In total, ESCOM has distributed 2.35 million LED bulbs with a saving of another 21MW considering that some of the bulbs that were replaced were CFL bulbs.”
Kumwenda further said the DSM efficient light programme has saved the country more than 48MW “taking into account that the use of efficient lighting bulbs has been adopted by local retailers and customers”.
“Customers have directly benefitted from these projects by, among other things, huge reduction in lighting energy bills, reduced load shedding, and improved quality of supply and use of quality lighting.
“DSM projects have also supported the sustainability of affordable electricity to customers due to reduced capital investments required in new generation and power system upgrades. The projects also help in protecting the environment from the need of running polluting energy sources such as diesel generation.”
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He added that other DSM measures include discount offers to industrial customers for shifting power usage from On-peak times to Off-peak hours through the Negotiated Time of Use Tariff agreements, saying: “The country is currently saving over 23MW On-peak power demand through the implementation of these contracts.”
In his remarks, Minister Matola attested that “this very special LED tubes have so many advantages as they help conserve energy, thereby contributing to a reduction in load shedding and increasing electricity access in the private and public sectors”.
He encouraged the customers to emulate the Government ministries, departments and agencies, that have “led by example by having the old tubes changed to the new tubes from November 2022 until April 2023, with targeted door-to-door retrofitting exercise for all”.
Energy Minister Ibrahim Matola
“The programme resonates well with the government’s agenda of ensuring increasing access to electricity in the private and public sectors. The Ministry of Energy views investments or measures in power generation and demand side management as complementing each other in ensuring that power requirements for the country are quickly met in the most economic manner.”
He emphasised that initiatives that have been put in place is “to bridge the demand and capacity gap by promoting efforts in demand side management through customers’ participation/interventions”.
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“These initiatives are supported by the Malawi Energy Policy of 2018 which recognizes Demand Side Management as a priority area for the energy sector in Malawi.”
On the gains or savings from DWM initiatives that are in excess of 55MW, the Minister said they have been achieved through the use of efficient appliances/equipment and through the shifting of some electricity usage from peak demand period to off peak demand period.
