US Hydropower Update
February
2006
Update
on Activities
US Hydropower Meets with the Nature
Conservancy
US Hydropower met with The Nature Conservancy
(TNC) in Washington DC,
and met with their local office in Guatemala
City, February 1st to discuss
potential areas of collaboration in key emerging markets. The
small hydropower projects US Hydropower is working to promote in Guatemala will
provide many benefits to promote reforestation and maintain many of the forests
the TNC is trying to protect. US Hydropower will be working to expand
collaboration with TNC in Guatemala
and other key markets over the coming months.
Follow up on Asia Pacific
Partnership (APP) Meeting in Sydney
US Hydropower has worked over the
last several months to ensure that hydropower is part of the White House’s APP
initiative. Through the APP initiative, the US
will collaborate with India,
China, Korea, Japan,
and Australia
in an effort to reduce carbon. In mid January, Dr. Malek
from MWH attended APP meetings in Sydyney on behalf
of US Hydropower and MWH to launch the initiative. In India and China alone more than 100,000 MW of
hydropower capacity is being planned to meet future generation needs. In
addition, more than 25,000 MW of rehabilitation projects exist. US Hydropower
has also participated in roundtable discussions with US Department of Energy,
US Department of State, and the US Department of Commerce on the initiative in
recent weeks.
US Hydropower meets with
Secretary Rice on Asia Pacific Partnership
US Hydropower was asked to
participate in a Roundtable discussion and luncheon at the State Department
with Secretary of State Rice, the Deputy Secretary, and assistant Secretaries
along with CEO’s from the Cement, Aluminum industries, and American Electric
Power, on February 9th to discuss opportunities for hydropower as
part of the Asia Pacific Partnership (APP) initiative. The White House
and USEXIM Bank also attended. The administration is planning another
round of meetings with representatives from the public and private sectors from
participating countries in Berkley,
CA, in
Spring.
Follow up on US Hydropower
Meetings in Guatemala
US Hydropower and representatives
from several member companies traveled to Guatemala the week of January 30th
to conduct meetings on hydropower development opportunities. US Hydropower
has significantly increased program activity, adding a US Hydropower Guatemalan
Program Manager. Recent program activities in Guatemala include working to
identify projects for US Hydropower member investors with Anacafe
(national coffee growers’ association) and representatives from INDE, the
national utility, on a small hydropower program. US Hydropower
has been providing support to Anacafe and INDE to
help prioritize projects for investment, and also with regulatory framework and
methodology for energy pricing to support this new small hydropower
program.
During the visit the delegation met
with the Presidential House, the US Ambassador, head of the USAID
Mission, the USTDA delegation, INDE, the national utility, the Minister of
Energy, leadership from the municipal government organization. The US
Hydropower delegation also met with the President’s Council on Competitiveness,
Anacafe, and representatives from a potential
project. Guatemala’s
potential for small hydropower is estimated at approximately 5,000 MW.
INDE and the Guatemalan government have committed themselves to developing a
minimum of 300 MW in the first two years of this program and 1,000 MWs within the next five years. Follow up meetings
are being set up in April, please let us know if you would like to participate.
US Hydropower Works with the
Bush Administration to Prepare Joint Statement for President Bush’s Visit to
India
US Hydropower has been working with
the US Department of Energy and US Department of Commerce on a joint statement
which would be signed by President Bush and the Prime Minister of India during
President Bush’s visit to India
which is scheduled for March. The statement would reflect a commitment by
the US and India to collaborate on Greenfield and rehabilitation hydropower
projects. This is a unique opportunity to highlight the great opportunity
that exists for hydropower in India.
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Please check our website for up to
date information on program and lobbying activities at www.us-hydropower.org Your comments or requests for more information are welcome.
Please contact US Hydropower’s Director of Trade Promotion, Debby Stone at
202.383.2536 or by Email: debbys@us-hydropower.org
Debby Stone
US
Hydropower
Council for
International Development
1500 K Street NW #330
Washington, DC
20002
t
202.383.2536
f
202.408.5406