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迦納目前面臨著能源危機，主要是由於其95%的能源一直是來自於Akosombo 水壩，而最近幾年該水壩遭遇很多次因乾旱引起的能源短缺問題。為了減少這類危機的影響，1997年期間，迦納不得不花費1800萬美元向科特迪瓦進口能源，而僅以所支付的成本的18%售出，使得工業經濟能夠正常運行，並使投資者保持信心。
節能聯盟－迦納（ASE）
（ASE）是非洲第一批成立的非政府組織之一，其任務主要是提高能源的利用率。該地區面臨的問題不僅僅是隨著人口的增長，對能源的需求量日益增加，還包括從經濟上考慮，要求每度電都用得值得。在非洲國家裏，因沒有制定國家效率標準，這一目標被不斷削弱，從而導致這一地區成為北半球國家禁用之低效率產品的傾銷地。ASE相信，只要提高空調和冰箱兩種主要產品的節能標準，就能夠在很大程度上減少能源浪費。ASE將重點放在以下幾個主要問題上：
▲提高主要能源消費者的節能意識和減少能源浪費的好處的意識；
▲讓當地消費者和工業明白節能專案的好處；
▲進行有關設備效能標準的政策和規章改革，發展當地的節能能力和裝置；
▲在迦納，在擁有節能技術的專家、投資機構和在節能投資上獲益的個體之間建立一個聯繫網。
▲努力使迦納成為非洲可持續利用能源發展的一個典範。
欲知詳情，請見聯繫方法。
正確的法規架構的重要性
自從政府要求公共事業公司，定期遞交以可能最低價格來滿足消費者需求的相關長期計劃（通常這是整體資源計劃過程的一部分）之後，需求管理工作卓見成效。這就要求他們在關注供給方的時候，更要注意需求管理。一個公共事業單位的設想，與通過效率衡量對可能發生的事所做出的評估，並不一定相同。但是這個過程有開放給大眾參與辯論，因此非政府組織在此發揮了一定程度的影響力。
美國正在學習另一個關於需求管理的獨特課程，這是一個取消對於能源市場的限制，形成開放的競爭機制的過程。因為這一過程有很寬闊的基礎，很多州取消能源市場限制後，都朝著一個方向發展：轉移公共事業單位身上的需求管理責任，放到一個新成立、由政府運作（或監管）的「效率單位」。爭論之處在於：雖然立法者已盡最大努力給予公共事業單位恰當的激勵，但很多事業單位仍然覺得他們有利益上的衝突，因為它們必須一邊作需求管理，一邊銷售電力。加州，紐約和其他地方已對所有的電力銷售徵稅，所得的錢將用在需求管理專案上。州立機構將使用這筆錢聘雇公司來執行需求管理專案。
版權歸屬 國際河網IRN，環境信託基金會（金霞 譯，李傑、李瑞玉 審校）
中英對照全文：http://e-info.org.tw/issue/water/2001/issue-water-irn01072301.htm
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Ghana is currently facing an energy crisis, in large part because 95 percent of its energy has historically come from the Akosombo Dam, which has suffered from numerous drought-induced power shortages in recent years. To help reduce the impacts of the crisis, during 1997 Ghana had to import US$18 million of power from Cote d'Ivoire, selling it for just 18 percent of what it paid for the electricity to keep industrial economic activities running normally and to maintain investor confidence.
The Alliance to save Energy - Ghana
(ASE) is one of the first NGOs in Africa to specifically promote the efficient use of energy. The region faces not just a growing need for power to accommodate rising population, but the economic imperative to make every kilowatt count. This goal was being consistently undermined by a lack of national efficiency standards in African countries, which resulted in the region becoming a dumping ground for inefficient products no longer permitted in Northern countries. ASE believes that promoting energy efficiency standards on just two key products - air conditioners and refrigerators - could greatly reduce wasted energy. ASE focuses on these major issues:
▲Raising the awareness of major energy consumers about efficiency and the benefits of reducing energy waste;
▲Informing local consumers and industries of the benefits of energy-efficiency
programmes;
▲Creating policy and regulation reform for equipment standards, and developing local energy-saving capabilities and equipment;
▲Developing a network in Ghana between those who have the expertise in energy-saving technology, funding agencies, and those who can benefit from energy-saving investments.
▲Working to make Ghana a model for sustainable energy development in Africa. For more information, see Contacts.
The Importance of the Right Regulatory Framework
Demand management efforts have been most effective when governments have required utilities to periodically submit longterm plans for meeting consumer demand in the cheapest way possible (usually this is part of an integrated resource planning process). This requires them to look at demand management as well as supply-side options. Although a utility's assumptions may not always be a fair assessment of what is really possible with efficiency measures, the process is open to public debate, thus NGOs have some leverage in influencing the process.
Another unique lesson about demand management is now being learned in the US, which is in the process of deregulating its energy markets to open the field up to competition. As this process gains wider footing, many states that are deregulating their energy market are moving in the direction of taking responsibility for demand management away from utilities and placing it in a newly formed, government-run (or government-overseen) "efficiency utility." The argument is that, despite regulators' best efforts to give them the right incentives, most utilities continue to perceive themselves as having conflicting interests: they have to do demand management on the one hand but sell electricity on the other. California, New York and others have placed a tax on all electricity sales to collect a pool of money that will be spent on demand management programmes. A state agency will use this money to hire firms to implement demand management programmes with this money.
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