TBS equips businesses on electric cooking standards

DAR ES SALAAM: THE Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) has launched a technical training programme for manufacturers, importers and distributors to enforce new Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) and mandatory energy-labelling across domestic appliance market.

The regulatory framework sets baseline efficiency thresholds for electricity-consuming household products, aiming to curb excessive power usage, lower operating costs for consumers and phase out sub-standard electrical appliances from the domestic supply chain.

Opening the workshop on Tuesday on behalf of TBS Director General Dr Ashura Katunzi, TBS Director of Standards Development Dr Kandida Shirima stated that the standards serve as an operational tool to support national energy sustainability.

“The standards establish minimum energy-efficiency requirements that electricityconsuming appliances must meet, directly addressing inefficient power consumption,” Dr Shirima said, adding that the framework aligns with National Development Vision.

Dr Shirima said the standards set minimum energyefficiency requirements that electricity-consuming appliances must meet, helping address excessive and inefficient electricity consumption.

She said energy-efficiency standards were an important tool in implementing the National Development Vision 2025, which seeks to build a strong, competitive and sustainable economy while ensuring energy generated is used efficiently.

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The standards are also part of the government’s strategy to promote efficient energy use, protect the environment and support sustainable development and public welfare.

“The government is implementing the National Clean Cooking Strategy, which, among other things, calls for the development and implementation of energy-efficiency standards for energy-consuming products,” she said.

She added that the strategy also seeks to strengthen laboratory capacity to test energy-consuming appliances and verify their efficiency. Dr Shirima said TBS had a key role in implementing the strategy and had been working with various stakeholders to develop the standards while strengthening laboratory capacity to test energy-consuming appliances and determine whether they meet prescribed requirements.

She said the training was designed to enhance the understanding of manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers, as well as stakeholders responsible for implementing and enforcing the standards. “These trainings are important because they enable us to understand the efficiency standards and what needs to be done to ensure they are effectively implemented,” she said.

Dr Shirima said the training also aimed to build understanding of energy-efficiency labelling for household electric cooking appliances. She said the training came as the Government continued to prioritise efficient energy use as part of efforts to link economic development with lower energy costs, environmental protection, improved energy access and climatechange mitigation.