As part of its Green On-Wage (GO) financial mechanism, ECOFRIDGES GO is pleased to announce the launch of its online store, which allows Ghanaians to order energy-efficient and environmentally friendly refrigerators and air conditioners. 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.

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 an ECOFRIDGES GO 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 USD 11 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 Program and in-kind contributions from Ghana’s Energy Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency, and project partners.

Read more about the project on the websites of the Energy Commission, U4E and  BASE.

You can also watch the recording of the interview on 24 August 2021 on Ghana’s Joy 99.7 FM with  Hubert Zan, Energy Efficiency Compliance Officer, Ghana Energy Commission, and Eric Antwi-Agyei, Energy Efficiency Expert and U4E Ghana Country Lead, announcing the launch.  To access the recording, click here.