As part of its Green On-Wage (GO) financial mechanism, Ecofridges Go has launched an online store concept, which allows Ghanaians access to energy-efficient and environmentally friendly refrigerators and air conditioners in growing the drive towards sustainable cooling in Africa.
The Ecowas Refrigerators and Air Conditioners Initiative is collaborating with CalBank Plc, Ecobank Ghana Limited, Letshego Ghana Savings and Loans Plc to provide low-interest loans to eligible salaried employees, and with the following vendors Ederick Limited, Hisense, Nesstra Ghana Limited and Services Merchandize Limited (SML).
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 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 negative impacts on the environment.
A cornerstone of Ecofridges activities in Ghana is a Green On-Wage (GO) financial mechanism to help make these cooling products more affordable for comfort and reduction in food waste.
The Ecofridges Go e-shop is a one-stop shop for users to access information about the initiative, select their preferred cooling appliance, apply for a loan via their selected partner bank and pay later via instalments with a 0% interest rate for at least 12-months. The online shop is adapted to both mobile and desktop devices.
Through Ecofridges Go, local financial institutions aim by 2023 to unlock at least USD11-million in financing to support the purchase of over 15 000 more sustainable cooling appliances and entice the replacement of old existing equipment.
Ecofridges 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 the cost of operating these appliances and on greenhouse gas emissions.
Ecofridges is made possible by funding from the Kigali Cooling Efficiency Programme and in-kind contributions from Ghana’s Energy Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency, and project partners.