Should electricity customers be penalised over energy wastage when they pay for the power consumed?
The Ugandan government, over the weekend, announced its decision to penalise citizens with jail time or fines over energy wastage. While it is pertinent to ensure energy conservation, punishing people for wasting energy they have paid for would not result in efficient energy use.
The primary cause of energy wastage in the first instance is that electricity consumers are oblivious of sustainable energy use. Therefore, rather than penalising electricity customers who are believed to waste power, a better approach would be to educate customers on the need for efficient energy use.
Energy Efficiency can be achieved in several ways:
1. Customer Sensitisation: Like the common saying “Knowledge is Power”, electricity consumers are uninformed about the need for conserving energy. Organising and promoting energy efficiency programs to enlighten consumers on tips and ways to save energy is a more suitable approach to ensuring the conservative use of energy.
2. Financial Incentives for Energy Efficient Appliances: Government can promote energy conservation by lowering the cost burdens of energy-efficient appliances. It can be achieved by providing subsidised products in markets and incentives for customers to let go of other energy-consuming equipment.
3. Industry Advocacy and Alliance: Involving the industrial sector in energy efficiency discussions and policies can assist governments in attaining energy conservation goals. Adopting energy-efficient technologies in the production of goods can vastly reduce energy wastage.
In all, energy efficiency measures can help combat the wasteful use of energy instead of penalising citizens.