Ghana benefits from R600a fridge incentives as customers cite electricity savings
In Ghana, 17,436MWh of energy and 14,445 metric tons of CO2 emissions have been saved thanks to the ECOFRIDGES GO program, which incentivizes customers to swap out end-of-life fridges for R600a models that cut electricity costs.
The ECOWAS Refrigerators and Air Conditioners Initiative (ECOFRIDGES) is a joint project by the Governments of Ghana and Senegal, the United Nations Environment Programme’s United for Efficiency (UNEP U4E) initiative and the Basel Agency for Sustainable Energy (BASE).
In collaboration with regional and local partners, ECOFRIDGES aims to accelerate the adoption of energy-efficient and climate-friendly domestic refrigerators and room air conditioners, saving consumers money on their electricity bills, relieving demand on the power sector and mitigating impacts on the environment, according to the project website.
The project includes the proper collection and disposal of used appliances, product testing, policy considerations, capacity building and promotion and awareness campaigns. It sets strict energy performance requirements and limits on the refrigerants of participating products to keep a lid on greenhouse gas emissions. For refrigerators, only R600a models are available for customers, while R32 air conditioners are used to replace aging R22 models.
A take-back scheme is in place for customers to return their end-of-life cooling appliances in exchange for a direct financial incentive, ensuring proper recycling and treatment of discarded devices. This means that the refrigerant is disposed of in a safe way, rather than ending up in a landfill and being vented into the atmosphere.