Homeowners are being offered the opportunity to reduce their energy consumption through the free installation of energy efficient technologies as part of State-owned power utility Eskom’s Residential Mass Roll-out programme.

Energy services company LDM Energy is one of the companies contracted by Eskom to roll out certain energy efficient technologies as part of the programme.

LDM has also partnered with logistics and products distribution company the Dawn group to provide homeowners with branded energy saving technologies, which include light-emitting diode (LED) down lighters, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), geyser and pool pump timer controls and energy efficient showerheads.

LDM director Dhevan Pillay says corporate employees from the various living standards measure categories are the initial target market for this programme.

“We offer the energy efficient technologies to residents, reaching them through the corporate channel. We have also been to low-income households with this programme and will offer the technologies to estate homeowners, as they are located in clusters. This will ensure large energy savings,” he explains


LDM was awarded the contract on March 1 and implemented the pilot programme on March 15, saving 3 MW in two-and-a-half weeks. Almost 20 000 households were visited between March 15 and March 31.

Pillay says the company will also introduce the programme to the industrial sector.


He advises residential homeowners to embrace the free energy efficient technologies provided in light of the national electricity tariff increases, as the average home can save significantly on its energy bills as a result of the mix of technology offerings.

In turn, Eskom will be able to take a large load off its national energy grid and this will prevent load-shedding.

Meanwhile, Pillay says the Residential Mass Roll-out programme has also created a significant number of local jobs


“As part of government’s development and localisation requirements, we use local products and try to develop people rather than just providing them with jobs. We see it as a sustainable model. We will also run a series of free induction training programmes and want to promote the programme through a national roadshow,” he reveals.

Further, Pillay says many South Africans are aware of the need to be energy efficient; however, more needs to be done, as being aware is not enough.

He suggests that homeowners take care to save energy by properly insulating their homes, taking appliances off standby when not in use and by replacing their halogen light bulbs with LED bulbs, as they use 45 W less power.