The Eskom 49m Campaigns

The 49M Campaign is an Eskom initiative launched on 18 March 2012, endorsed by government and business, to spur an urgent need for 49 million South Africans to embrace energy savings as a national culture and joining the global journey towards a sustainable future.
 
The initiative is underpinned by the value proposition to ensure a better future for all South Africans, economically, socially and environmentally.
 
The campaign derives its name from the population of South Africa being 49 million people and is used as a mechanism to emphasise that everyone in South Africa has a part to play in energy efficiency and conservation. The name will be revised as the South African population grows.
 
The call to save electricity and to reduce consumption is prompted by South Africa`s constrained power generation and distribution systems, the urgent need to reduce the carbon footprint and to save money as result of the economic downturn and rising electricity prices.
 
The campaign is not unique to South Africa and many countries around the globe have instituted similar programmes to ensure sustainability in the long term.
 
It is envisaged that the campaign will initially run for five years but will be adapted as required by circumstances to meet specific challenges and demands. 49M aims to mobilise and partner with all South Africans to create awareness, provide solutions, and create a network through which South Africans can communicate and explore solutions for the country`s electricity challenges.
 
The campaign is initially driven by the slogans “REMEMBER YOUR POWER" and "IF YOU ARE NOT USING IT, SWITCH IT OFF". These slogans will be highlighted by yellow reminder strings.
 
The aim is to involve everybody and to continuously remind them that by taking elementary steps such as replacing incandescent globes with compact fluorescent lamps (CFL), keeping unused appliances switched off, and eliminating electricity wastage can make a major impact.
 
To date it is estimated savings of over 1 900 MW have been effected through the implementation of the large-scale mass roll-outs of replacing incandescent light bulbs with CFL`s. This is enough to power a place like Pretoria (or Tshwane once the name change debate has been settled).
 
The Eskom Solar Water Heating Programme offers an incentive (up to 40% rebate to consumers) to install solar water heaters. The strategy is to create a sustainable solar water heating industry in South Africa and to achieve a 105 MW reduction in three years. To date over 31 000 solar water heaters have been installed, with almost 10 000 in February 2011 alone. Overall the energy efficiency demand side management has achieved 2 372 MW savings since instituted during 2003.
 
Power Alert is an interactive media communications programme aimed at the residential market and seeks to reduce power consumption patterns during weekday evening peak periods (18:00 to 21:00).
 
Eskom from its side is working towards the maximum performance to all its power generating stations, improving coal handling and processing and resolving coal quality problems with its suppliers.
 
It is continuing with its capital expansion programme at the Medupi, Kusile and Ingula power stations. Since 2005 an additional 4 453.5 MW has been added with additional 16 304 MW to be added by 2017. It also intends purchasing power from Independent Power Producers.
 
It is trusted 49M will bring about a way to grow and sustain South Africa, to reduce the national electricity consumption, save money as well as contributing significantly to climate change solutions.

Pieter Rautenbach