A source familiar with the work of the Technical Committee for Energy Efficiency at the Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy revealed behind the scenes of the meeting today, Monday, regarding improving energy efficiency at the level of consumption sectors for subscribers of the nine electricity distribution companies nationwide affiliated to the Electricity Holding Company.
The source pointed out that this meeting included a review of the consumption reduction rates achieved by the emergency load reduction program that the government resorted to due to the unprecedented increase in demand for electricity with the rise in temperatures.
The source added, in statements to “Al-Dustour”, that a number of experts and consultants who are members of the Technical Committee for Energy Efficiency at the Ministry of Electricity have presented a number of initiatives related to improving consumption efficiency and reducing consumption in exchange for permanently postponing the load-reducing program.
Studies: Consumption-intensive refrigeration devices are behind the crisis
The source emphasized that, in light of monitoring operations that lasted for a month, from mid-July to mid-August, the electrical network in Egypt recorded the highest rates of consumption, but studies have shown that a large percentage of the increase in demand for electricity was not due to increased consumption only, but as a result of the subscribers’ use of cooling devices. Air is energy intensive, putting pressure on the electric grid.
And the source indicated that the Technical Committee for Energy Efficiency Improvement at the Ministry of Electricity is considering launching an initiative to improve energy efficiency in the uses of electrical appliances in various sectors, especially air-cooling devices that do not conform to quality specifications in accordance with international and local standards, agreed upon in accordance with the decision of the Minister of Industry and Foreign Trade No. 371 of 2013. , related to producers and importers of electrical appliances for air cooling, including recommendations and penalties for violators of energy efficiency specifications.