Following informal discussions among interested members, the Executive Committee decided to approve the pilot project to enhance energy efficiency in the residential air-conditioning manufacturing sector in Tunisia in the context of HFC phase-down, in the amount of US $1,347,360, plus agency support costs of US $94,315, for UNIDO, noting:
- That the agreed funding would be allocated under the funding window established by decision 94/60, including US $80,262, plus agency support costs of US $5,618, for UNIDO, associated with further upgrades to the Technical Centre of Mechanical and Electric Industries calorimetric laboratory, on the understanding that no additional funding would be requested to support the laboratory and that the approach used for calculating funding associated with complete knock-down kits under the present project would not set a precedent for future projects;
- The commitment of the enterprises participating in the project to manufacture only air-conditioning units with variable-speed technology upon completion of the project;
- That, in line with paragraph 37 of document UNEP/OzL.Pro/ExCom/94/61, the enterprises committed to manufacturing equipment with at least the target energy efficiency performance after project completion, and to make their best efforts to continue to improve the energy efficiency of those products beyond the project duration at their own cost;
- That, in line with paragraph 38 of document UNEP/OzL.Pro/ExCom/94/61, the Government committed to upgrading periodically minimum energy performance standards, labelling programmes and awareness and outreach activities to ensure that the target energy-efficiency levels under the project for the equipment were publicized among different stakeholders, and that the Government would also take steps to implement regulations to ensure that the manufacturing, import and sale of the equipment at least achieved the target energy-efficiency performance levels, at the latest three years after completion of the project;
- That the enterprises had committed to ensuring the necessary counterpart financing to implement the pilot project;
- That UNIDO would include, in the report to be submitted in line with decision 94/57(a)(ii), a detailed comparison of the minimum energy performance standards that Tunisia planned to implement by December 2027 with those specified in the model regulation guidelines for energy-efficient and climate-friendly air conditioners published by United for Efficiency, and an assessment of how the next update of the minimum energy performance standards would compare with the levels specified in those model regulations; and
- That the project would be operationally completed no later than December 2028, and that a detailed project report would be submitted to the Executive Committee within six months of the date of completion of the project.