In Southern Africa, Zambia's state-owned power utility Zesco has started a national distribution of energy efficient light bulbs. This is aimed at reducing the country’s current power deficit, a senior official told Chinese news agency Xinhua on Monday.
Energy efficient light bulbs
According to Zesco’s spokesman, Henry Kapata, the power company has started the distribution process of one million energy-saving light bulbs in Zambia’s capital, Lusaka.
Zesco plans to import an additional one million energy efficient light bulbs, which will be distributed to other areas around the country at a later stage, with efforts aimed at conserving the country’s energy.
Kapata claims that one million light bulbs will save 50MW of a power, a number which will considerably help the Southern African nation’s current energy deficit.
No to ordinary bulbs
Kapata stated that ordinary light bulbs are inefficient as they only use around 10% of the energy for lighting while 90% was wasted as heat, Xinhua reported.
Kapata said: "Our idea is that we want the issue of using ordinary bulbs to be completely done away with. Actually, we intend to propose to the government so that it bans the importation of ordinary bulbs.”
Energy shortage
Xinhua reported that Zambia is currently facing a 560MW power deficit as a result of low water levels in its reservoirs due to the lack of rain.
In July, the low water levels forced government to cut the country’s mines power supply by 30%.
The Zambian government has implemented various projects to cope with the power shortages by driving renewable energy projects in solar and thermal energy.
Government spokesperson Chishimba Kambwili said: "Cabinet has explored the option of power-renting from ships docked at sea.”
According to Kambwili, the power company has no option but to ration electricity until the rainy season in October.
He added that the cabinet has approved the construction of a 340MW thermal power plant to contribute towards the country’s power generation capacity.