Defy Appliances today unveiled a new range of climate-friendly fridges and freezers that can be used by households and small businesses and that do not require electricity from the national grid. The products are capable of operating entirely on solar energy, marking a substantial step in promoting eco-friendly alternatives in the appliance industry and runs off a small solar panel system that can be installed and a battery that retains power for up to 3 days. The fridges and freezers will be available in MAKRO and other stores shortly later this month.
Defy Appliances is owned by a Turkish holding company since 2011 and has factories in eThekwini and Ladysmith, in KZN.
Welcoming the initiative today, the Minister of Trade, Industry, and Competition, Mr. Ebrahim Patel noted that the Defy Solar Off-Grid products were co-developed by South African technical experts and their Turkish counterrparts and could be suitable for use by shops in rural areas without electricity, by urban households seeking to reduce their carbon footprint or by communities affected by electricity outages.
“Climate change necessitates a comprehensive transformation of the technologies utilized both at home and within the industry. South Africa is actively ensuring the production of future technologies and meeting the demand for lower-emission consumer products. This opens a platform for green industrialisation by South Africa,” he said
“The company employs 2 500 workers in South Africa and has 40 people locally focussed on R&D. The products now being developed are geared to developing country markets and there is a great potential to export to other parts of the African continent. Defy already exports to more than 35 other countries, using its South African base,” he says.
“I encourage more firms to innovate and invest in R&D to simulatneously tackle the climate crisis and create jobs in the process,” Minister Patel stated.
Enquiries:
Bongani Lukhele – Director: Media Relations
Tel: (012) 394 1643
Mobile: 079 5083 457
WhatsApp: 074 2998 512
E-mail: BLukhele@thedtic.gov.za
Issued by: The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic)
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