For more information, visit www.savingenergy.co.za.

As the country buckles under a major power crunch this winter, the newly-established National Energy Efficiency Agency (NEEA), a division of CEF (Pty) Ltd, is to embark on a critical national campaign to persuade South Africans to change their energy consuming behaviour.

The campaign, an initiative of the Department of Minerals and Energy, the National Energy Regulator, Eskom and CEF, will be launched on Friday 1 June 2007. It seeks to alleviate the demand for energy and help the country survive through the winter with minimal unscheduled power disruptions.

“One way we can make a contribution to easing the country’s power crunch is to start by making energy conservation second nature to all South Africans,” says Barry Bredenkamp, General Operations Manager of the NEEA.

“For instance one of the energy facts that many people may not be familiar with and which we will bring to the fore in our winter campaign is that research from Bonn University has shown that washing dishes by hand uses more water and energy than using a dishwasher.

“Not every household has a dishwasher, but this is clear message to those who do have one but still wash dishes by hand because they believe they are saving power,” says Bredenkamp.

The winter campaign kicks off with a television campaign, with the first adverts scheduled for flighting tomorrow night (1 June 2007).

The NEEA has already been joined by a number of major corporate partners who are committed to helping to address the country’s power concerns. Companies already on board include, Pick ‘n Pay, Nedbank, Clicks, Old Mutual and Mutual & Federal.

“We are dealing with a major national imperative and I am impressed with the number of corporates which have indicated their willingness to join the campaign,’’ says Bredenkamp.

The NEEA will run the campaign over three months. Key messages include the fact that major power savings can be made just from changing the way we light up our homes and places of business.

“South Africa must be proactive in following the global trend towards phasing out the use of incandescent (GLS) lamps. Compact florescent lamps (CFLs) are the preferred energy-efficient option for lighting applications,” says Bredenkamp.

New corporate partners are expected to join the campaign as it develops. All energy efficiency initiatives and messages will be channelled through the NEEA as the campaign gains momentum.

The partners are committed to their own individual corporate initiatives to help consumers save energy. By partnering with the NEEA in the campaign, each will have substantially more reach and will help the campaign have much more impact nationally.

Each partner will produce a 15-second advert for television. They will also contribute to the cost of the campaign.

“Clicks for instance plans to replace all incandescent light bulbs on its shelves with energy efficient compact florescent lamps. During the campaign the retail chain will also have an ‘incandescent light bulb crushing’ event, during which it will announce its ban on the sale of these energy inefficient lamps, and their replacement with CFLs,” says Bredenkamp.

Meanwhile Reckitt Benckiser brand Finish, the leading dishwasher detergent brand internationally, has set a target to increase the penetration of dishwashers in the country by an additional 100 000 units by the end of 2007.

Editor’s Note:

The NEEA was officially established in March 2006 through a directive issued by the Minister of Minerals and Energy.

Located within CEF (Pty) Ltd as a wholly incorporated division, the Agency commenced operations on 3 April 2006.

The NEEA will initially operate under the CEF corporate umbrella but will over time develop its own unique identity within the CEF energy-focused environment.

CEF (Pty) Ltd is a private company incorporated in terms of the Companies Act. It controls entities in the energy sector with commercial, strategic, regulatory and developmental roles, housed in six operating subsidiaries. These are PetroSA (the Petroleum Oil and Gas Corporation of South Africa), iGAS (the South African Gas Development Company), Petroleum Agency SA, Oil Pollution Control SA, the Strategic Fuel Fund Association and the South African National Energy Research Institute (Saneri). Among other corporate functions, CEF (Pty) Ltd manages the Central Energy Fund on behalf of the Government.

For more information visit www.cef.org.za

Media enquiries to:

Barry Bredenkamp

General Operations Manager: NEEA

Phone: (011)280-0411

Mobile: 083 655 6891

Issued by:

Mandla Tyala

Head: Corporate Communication

CEF (Pty) Ltd

Phone: (011)280-0462

Mobile: 082 056 2576