The LightingTech Egypt conference is just around the corner on 9-10 De4cember 2015 in Cairo. In anticipation of the event, the organizers of LightingTech Egypt, ACM Events have conducted a one-to-one interview with Kamelia Youssef, Consultant for Lighting Component, Ministry of Electricity UNDP-GEF, to shed more light on needs and requirements for the lighting industry to achieve energy efficiency and ease the electricity load in Egypt.
Kamelia Youssef is a multi-disciplines subject matter expert in Energy conservation, Electric power system, Power quality, and Lighting system. She holds a Doctor Degree (PHD) in Power system of protection from Alexandria University, Egypt, and has graduated with Bachelor Degree in Electrical Engineering Department- Power section from the same University . She is currently consultant for lighting component in UNDP-GEF Lighting & Appliance Efficiency Improvement Project, where she is responsible of Energy Audit, Energy Efficiency, Training, and Awareness of Lighting systems for public building, residential, and street lighting.
What is the current status of the Egyptian Lighting Industry?
In Egypt, Lighting consumes about 20 % of the total energy consumption. There are different type of lamps in Egypt, incandescent, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and light emitting diode (LED). I will give a brief overview to make it clear:
Incandescent
• Over long decades, incandescent lamps have been extensively used in Egypt.
• No. of imported tungsten lamps is 5.78 million lamps (in 2014), No. of national one is not available.
CFLs
• The Egyptian CFL market is greatly dependent on imports.
• Over 2010-2014 the CFL/LFL imports have been significantly increasing compared to the common incandescent lamps. China is the main source for imports of the different types of energy saving lamps, CFL & LFL in addition to the EU.
• National manufacturing of CFL in Egypt takes place through two main processes:
– Manufacturing and
– Assembly of CFL components.
The assembled components are imported separately and assembled by licensed facilities.
• 19 Egyptian companies represent 62% from large scale CFL manufacturer; work in assembly of CFL components.
• 6 Egyptian companies, represent 19% from large scale CFL manufacturers, work in assembly of CFL components and import CFL lamps.
• 6 Egyptian companies represent 19% from large scale CFL manufacturers, work in import CFL lamps.
• No. of national CFLs is 19 million lamps, and imported one is 1.5 million lamps (in 2011).
• No. of imported CFLs is 5.68 million lamp (in 2014)
LED Lamps
– LED lighting technology has been started in Egypt since 2014 as imported and assembled components, but details are not available.
What can be done to tackle the issue of lighting blackouts?
There are various things that can be done. Beyond any doubt we need to do our best to:
• Establish a continuous coordination with the oil sector to secure the amount of fuel needed for power plants operation and at the same time the oil sector is to import natural gas to secure the electricity sector needs;
• Convert gas units to operate as combined cycle units to increase the power generation without need to additional fuel;
• Issue the first power purchase tariff from new and renewable sources (wind and solar) for a defined amount of a purchased power of 4300 MW as a
first phase during the next two years in addition to the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company power projects of 450 MW through the BOO scheme thus alleviating the need for needed fuel;
• Encourage installation of Photo Voltaic (PV) projects on the top roof of administrative buildings and connect them to the electricity network.
• Implementation of energy efficiency programs in residential and governmental sectors to achieve gradual market transformation towards the use of LED technology in these two sectors where a tender has been announced for procurement of 10 million LED lamps to be distributed to residential customers by the electricity distribution companies and through installments to be settled with the monthly electricity bill and it is expected to save 580 MW;
• Mounting of 300 thousands efficient lamps for street lighting purposes bringing the total number of efficient street lighting lamps to 535 thousand and achieve a saving of 90 MW;
• The Egyptian Electricity Holding Company has sent five years dynamic plans to add generating capacities to face the fast growing increase of energy demand where it is expected that the needed investments to cover generation, transmission and distribution projects will reach 105.6 Billion L.E during the five years investment plan 2012-2017 against 65.3 Billion L.E during five years plan 2007-2012.
In addition, the power sector is also diversifying the share of different fuel types in the generation mix following the decision of the cabinet taken on the 14th of April 2014 to consider and approve the use of coal as a source of fuel for power generation. In addition, the power sector has considered the addition of 8000 MW coal fired power plants in the 5 years plan 2017-2022 to be implemented with the participation of private sector though the BOO scheme.
It is worth mentioning also that the electricity sector is also keen to achieve electrical interconnection projects with Arab and African countries to be complemented with the interconnection with the European network, the contract for implementation of transmission line and the submarine cable for the interconnection between Egypt and Saudi Arabia which will be signed July 2015 where it is expected to start provisional operation in July 2017.
What are the initiatives promoted by the Government?
In Egypt, energy saving concepts became more and more popular over the last decade within the Government, which has enthusiastically responded to the many challenges connected to lighting in Egypt. Since then, the Egyptian Ministry of Electricity has been promoting the use of energy saving lamps, including the LFL and the CFL. Nowadays, a large number of CFL brands is available on the Egyptian market.
The Egyptian Organization for Standardization and Quality has issued specification number of operation and safety aspects and 12 million CFLs have been sold through the electricity distribution companies for half of their price and a guarantee period of 18 months.
Several Energy Efficiency standard and labels have been developed for 5 household electrical appliances. Ministerial decrees have been issued for adoption and enforcement, and testing laboratories have been erected at the New and Renewable Energy Authority.
Furthermore, street lighting consumes 4% of total energy consumption. Upon recommendation of the Supreme Council of Energy dated 11/3/2009 and resolution of the council of governors
regarding improving energy efficiency of street lighting a program has been implemented for replacing the existing lamps by efficient ones.
Various specifications have been prepared for various models of LED lamps to be a reference when a purchasing tender will be issued; three national testing laboratories have been selected to conduct tests according to specifications.
Notably, within the state recommendation to disseminate the use of LED technology, a tender has been issued by the Ministry of Electricity for procurement of 10 million LED lamps to be distributed to residential customers by electricity distribution companies through installments added to the electricity bill.
ifpinfo
19 November
