The Department of Minerals and Energy's (DME) nationwide appliance efficiency programme is monitored through energy labels on electricity appliances and minimum energy performance standards.

The development objectives of this programme coincide with the goals of the national Energy Efficiency Strategy [PDF, 365KB]. These are to:

• Improve the health of the nation by reducing the emission of toxic substances;
• Create jobs by spin-off effects of energy efficiency implementation;
• Alleviate poverty by reducing the energy bills of end-users;
• Improve industrial competitiveness by exporting high-quality products;
• Enhance energy security by reducing the necessary volume of imported energy and increasing the resilience against external supply distribution; and
• Reduce the necessity for additional power generation capacity by reducing peak-load growth.

The environmental goal is to reduce greenhouse gases from energy consumption through the introduction of high-efficiency (optimal electricity consumption) appliances.

The social goal is to introduce energy-efficient appliances into the market. An added benefit is that poorer consumers have the option of purchasing appliances that are cheaper to run.

The economic goal is to support the development of a household appliance industry that produces products that compete at an international level. We also aim to mitigate the effects of peak demand on power capacity through an ongoing process of pushing electrical appliances with lower electricity consumption into the market.

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