*EPF410 04/24/2003
Fact Sheet: U.S. Gives to Program for Developing Country Energy
(Program emerged from Johannesburg sustainable development summit) (1250)

Following is a U.S. State Department fact sheet on the Global Village Energy Partnership:

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U.S. Department of State
Fact Sheet
Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs
Washington, DC

April 23, 2003

The Global Village Energy Partnership: U.S. Contribution

Purpose of the Partnership: The Global Village Energy Partnership (GVEP) seeks to reduce poverty and promote sustainable development through increased access to modern and affordable energy services in the developing world. The U.S. has joined the partnership, and it is one of three programs under the United States Government's Clean Energy Initiative (CEI), Powering Sustainable Development from Village to Metropolis, launched at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, September 2002. The CEI aims to provide millions of people in the developing world with access to affordable, reliable, clean, healthy, and efficient energy services through public/private collaboration (see www.state.gov/g/oes/rls/fs/2002/16387.htm). The U.S. Agency for International Development coordinates the GVEP partnership for the U.S. Government.

GVEP priorities for the next two years include: (1) Action Plans to provide the 'implementation vehicle' for energy-related activities set forth in national and/or local poverty reduction strategies and development plans; (2) Knowledge Management and Transfer to enable the sharing of information on innovative approaches, lessons learned and best practices for improved energy service delivery, while providing a forum for networking among partners; (3) Capacity Development to enhance policy frameworks, entrepreneurial development, consumer organization, and credit systems aimed at expanding the number and the capabilities of enterprises operating in rural markets. It will also increase access to energy services; (4) Funding Facilitation to work with a broad range of local, bilateral and multilateral financiers, expanding existing programs and financial instruments to better suit the needs of investors and energy consumers; and (5) Results and Impact Monitoring and Evaluation to track energy services and their impact on poverty reduction and sustainable development, while enhancing partner accountability for tangible results.

Partners

-- Donor Governments: Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, United Kingdom, and The United States.

-- Developing Countries: Belize, Chile, China, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Panama, the Philippines, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Uganda, Zambia.

-- International Organizations: Organization of American States, United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Environment Programme, World Bank.

-- Private Sector: Acumen International, African Energy, Agama Energy Ltd, Asia Credit Fund, Astropower, BD Consult, BP Solar Ltd, BP Solar Solutions, CIRAD, Community Development Corporation, Conside Ltd. Energy Consulting, CTSE Consulting, E5, Electric Power Research Institute, Electricite de France, Energy and Security Group, Energy Conversion Devices, Energynet Limited, Enersol, Farmworks International, Global Sustainable Energy Solutions Pty, Ltd., Global Transition Consulting, GTZ German Technical Co-operation, India Power Associates, Isofoton, IT Power India, IT Power US Inc., KFW, Lahmeyer International GMBH, N2solar, National Environmental Consulting, Nuon RAPS Utility, ORMAT International, RAPS Finance, RAPS Consulting Pty Ltd., Societe de Services Decentralisees Nuon EDF, Ormat International, Solamatics, SolAqua, SOLUZ, Standard Corporate and Merchant Bank, Stean & Associates Business Development Services, Strategic Consulting Partners, Sustainable Rural Enterprise, Sustainable Village LLC, SUN OVENS International Inc., Sustainable Energy Solutions, Technological Solutions for Social Development, Umgeni Water, World Water.

-- Civil Society: AFREPREN, Appropriate Technology Center/College of Xavier University Philippines, Approtech Asia, Australian CRC for Renewable Energy, AVD/RIOD-AO, Basel Agency for Sustainable Energy, Business Council for Sustainable Energy, CARBONA, CEFA Tanzania, Climate Institute, E+Co, Club zur Laendlichen Elektrifizierung, Community Orientated Sustainable Development Initiative, Community Development Carbon Fund, CRESP, Durban Institute of Technology, East African Energy Conservation Alliance, East African Energy Technology Development Network, ENDA, ENERGIA, Energy and Environmental Concerns for Zambia, Energy Forum, Energy Management Centre Kerala, Faculty of Sciences and Technologies, Fatma Denton, Foundation Against Social Trauma and Environmental Ravages, Free Energy Europe, Global Ecovillage Network, Greenstar, HEDON Household Energy Network, Innovation Energie Developpement, Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, International Energy Initiative, International Lead Zinc Research Org. Inc., Intermediate Technologies Development Group, Joaquim Nabuco Foundation, Kadikoyu Friends of Science, Culture and Art Association, Kumasi Institute of Technology and Environment, Light Up The World Foundation, Minerals & Energy Policy Centre, Munasinghe Institute for Development, Nabuci Foundation, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, National Resources Defense Council, New Mexico State University, Nimbkar Agricultural research Institute, Pakistan Energy and Environment Management Centre, Parallax Sustainable Development Solutions, Pembina Institute for Appropriate Development, Persons Helping People, Pothohar Water Partnership, Save Earth Nigeria, SELCO, SELF, Shakti: Energy Web site of Bangladesh, Solar Development Group, Solar International Management, Stakeholder Forum for Our Common Future, Tangier Faculty of Sciences and Technologies, Tanzania Traditional Energy Development and Environment, TERI, Ukuvuka Operation Firestop, University of California/Berkeley s Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Sandia National Labs, US Hydropower Council for International Development, Vienna International Community on Sustainable Development, Winrock International, Winrock International Brazil, Winrock International India, World Energy Council, World Resources Institute.

Partnership efforts to date

-- Africa Energy Poverty Workshops and Follow On In-country Consultations. The World Bank's Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) sponsored a regional Energy-Poverty Workshop in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, addressing the needs of Anglophone countries (Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Ethiopia), and a second regional workshop in Dakar, Senegal, for participating Francophone countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Togo and Senegal). These workshops brought together stakeholders from governments, the private sector, NGOs [non-governmental organizations], development organizations, investors and financiers to outline plans for scalable energy-poverty projects, programs and investments. Follow-on national consultations are planned throughout 2003 in Uganda, Ghana, Zambia, Tanzania, Mali and Senegal.

-- Latin America/Caribbean GVEP Conference. Planning is under way for a Latin America and Caribbean regional conference to be held in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, June 18-20, 2003. This event will be conducted in two parts. Part I will address lessons learned, best practices and approaches to increase energy services across the region, with a particular emphasis on poverty reduction. Part II will focus on a subset of countries in the region, including Bolivia, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Peru, that have expressed interest in working with GVEP on the development and implementation of energy-poverty programs.

-- Financing Facilitation. A GVEP Pre-Investment Fund Workshop is scheduled for April 23-24, 2003, in Berlin, Germany. This experts meeting will determine how this fund can be structured to respond to the financial needs of developing countries, donors and private project developers. Specifically the workshop will address the issues of working capital, pre-feasibility and other financial support to entrepreneurs and firms interested in developing energy-poverty programs.

-- Capacity Building. A practitioner's workshop for the South Asia region, hosted in Sri Lanka, is scheduled for June 2-4, 2003, with funding from ESMAP, the United Nations Foundation, USAID and Winrock International. The workshop will identify best practices of rural electrification projects in the region for purposes of scale-up and replicability.

-- Outreach and Dissemination. An on-line GVEP biweekly newsletter is produced and disseminated by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (formerly the Village Power newsletter). To access this newsletter, please see www.gvep.org.

-- GVEP Governance. The GVEP partners elected the first Board consisting of 11 individuals representing governments, international organizations, the private sector, and civil society, including Dr. Griffin Thompson of USAID. The first Board meeting is scheduled for May 13, 2003, in Washington, DC. (For a complete listing of board members, please see www.gvep.org.)

USG Point of Contact: Agency for International Development: Griffin Thompson (Telephone: 202/712-1864; E-mail: [email protected])

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(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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