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Invitational Travel in Support of Global Climate Change Related Workshops, Conferences, and Other International Fora
The
Invitational Travel program was a $1.4 million U.S. Agency for International
Development (USAID) funded mechanism that provided the opportunity for
developing country energy sector stakeholders from the government, the
private sector, NGOs, and financial institutions to participate in international
conferences, workshops and courses in order to enhance their knowledge
of best practices for energy development, management, and operations.
CORE International provided flawless logistics which facilitated the
participation of some 400 energy sector professionals from 30 countries
in 71 separate international energy sector activities under this program.
The main discussion topics under these programs were regulatory reform,
energy efficiency, renewable energy, power trading, oil and gas resource
utilization, climate change, and project finance, most often presented
in the regional context. CORE is currently involved in a similar $5 million
five year Energy Travel [link to our Energy Travel project page] program.
Numerous examples of direct benefits to the participants and development impacts in their respective home countries include direct energy sector policy changes, adaptation of best practices for energy generation and use, as well as documented actions taken by participating governments to increase consumer and other stakeholder participation in their respective energy sectors. They are perhaps best illustrated by the following selected "success stories".
Invitational Travel funding leads to enhanced long-term projections on gas demand and supply in Bangladesh
Mr. Motuza Ahmad Faruque, Deputy Director of Hydrocarbon Unit at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources in Bangladesh, attended the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration (EIA) Workshops on Needs Assessment and Action Plan on Creating an Infrastructure for Energy Data in SARI Countries (February 2003) and Model South Asia Energy Forecast Report (June 2002) in Kathmandu, Nepal where he became acquainted with the mission, goal, strategy, and analysis method for energy demand forecast of the EIA. Thanks to the opportunity to share knowledge and views with the regional country representatives from India , Nepal , Bhutan , Sri Lanka and Maldives , Mr. Faruque reported having formulated an action plan for establishing and integrating an energy information source and developing a model of energy sector reporting for the regional countries. Gaining knowledge on the process of data collection, verification and statistical analysis to provide high-quality energy information to different users proved useful to him during the establishment of a mini-data bank for the gas sector in Bangladesh , where he applied his experiences from the workshops to his day-to-day work in the Hydrocarbon Unit. Mr. Faruque and his colleagues are now in the process of establishing a cost database for hydrocarbon exploration, development, surface facilities, and transmission activities in Bangladesh and also for regional countries, where he is personally responsible for preparing short-, mid- and long-term projections for gas demand and supply.
Invitational Travel funding leads to the initiation of an advocacy campaign on renewable energy resources in Nepal
Dr. Sandeep P. Shah, General Manager of Bhote Koshi Power Company in Katmandu, Nepal, attended the SAREC Seminar on Renewable Energy Resources (June 2003) in Colombo, Sri Lanka, where he learned about various renewable energy related issues and subject matters such as new technologies and the latest developments and best practices in renewable energy sector, financial models and project development structures for renewable energy projects, and legal and regulatory framework existing in other countries in the region. Dr. Shah's organization is in the development of a 45-MW hydropower project in central Nepal , and based on information gained on incentives provided to renewable energy development in other countries, Dr. Shah plans to initiate an advocacy campaign on the utilization, efficiency and developments of renewable energy resources in his home country.
Invitational Travel Funding Leads to Greater Stakeholder Involvement in Kenya's Energy Sector Regulatory Reform Process
Through his participation in The World Bank's African Forum for Utility Regulators (AFUR) meeting (May 2001), Mr. Kevin Kariuki, benefited from the program's focus on the promotion of consumer involvement in the regulatory process. In his position as Chief Power Engineer & Consumer Affairs Manager of the Electricity Control Board of Kenya, Mr. Kariuki was able to take what he had learned and organize workshops on Kenya 's regulatory processes which were attended by numerous consumer groups and other stakeholder groups. These programs helped generate a greater confidence in the Kenya Electricity Regulatory Board's transparency and effectiveness, paving the way for increased reforms in the country.
Invitational Travel Funding Leads to Increased Capacity Building for Wind Energy Development in Guatemala
After attending the Wind Energy Symposium/Village Power Symposium WEATS (November 2000) which took place in various cities in the United States, Saul Santos and Carolina Palma of the Fundacion Solar, Guatemala, prepared a course for local students based on the knowledge they had gained during their WEATS symposium. Based on this and other skills transfer activities, Fundacion Solar is in the process of developing a Wind Energy Application Pilot project in Guatemala .
Invitational Travel Funding Assists in the Establishment of a National Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Promotion Office in Ecuador
Based on his experience at the Technical Workshop for the Project-Based Activities in the Clean Energy Sector (May 2001) , Marcos Castro from Ecuador enhanced his knowledge about the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and has been named to head the recently established national CDM Promotion Office in Ecuador .
Invitational Travel Funding Increases Consumer Involvement in Zambia's Energy Sector Regulatory Reform Process
Mr. Silvester Hibajene, Technical Director of the Energy Regulation Board of Zambia, attended The World Bank's African Forum for Utility Regulators (AFUR) meeting (May 2001) which focused on promoting consumer awareness of the regulatory process. Upon his return to Zambia , he helped develop a thirteen-week series shown on national television which explained the role of the Zambian Energy Regulation Board. Based on the televised forum, Zambian consumers are now more aware of the role of the energy utilities and have information about how and where to address their questions and concerns. By educating consumer groups and other stakeholders about the reform process, the reform process is likely to meet less resistance and move forward at a much faster pace.
Invitational Travel Funding Leads to Benefits for Sri Lankan Bank based on the Lessons Learned from India's Experiences Ms. Jayangani Perera, Senior Project Officer at the Development Finance Corporation of Ceylon (DFCC) Bank in Sri Lanka, attended The World Bank's Frontiers in International Finance Course (January 2002) and reported to USAID that the course helped her to better analyze and complete the financial appraisals that led to the approval of two major hydropower projects in Sri Lanka with capital costs exceeding $20 million. She applied the best practices and theories presented in the course materials, as well as the lessons learned from other countries such as India to her day-to-day development and planning for infrastructure project loans. Ms. Perara is responsible for structuring some of the major infrastructure loans at the DFCC Bank.Invitational Travel Funding Supports the Regulatory Reform Process in Rajasthan , India
After attending the South Asia Forum for Infrastructure Regulation (October 2001) , Mr. D.R. Mathur, Deputy Secretary (Tariffs) at the Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission, incorporated a Multi-Year Tariff Structure into the commission's draft "Standards of Performance" document, a key working document for the State of Rajasthan's energy sector reform process. Two key features now included in the Standards Policy document are (i) specific provisions that accommodate the importance of small-scale service providers, and (ii) multi-year tariff structures. These provisions improved operating policies that assist the State of Rajasthan in meeting its restructuring goals.
Invitational Travel Funding Leads to Increased Energy Conservation Practices and Awareness in Bangladesh
Mr. Md. Fazlur Rahman, Chief Executive Officer of New Energy Solutions, Ltd. in Bangladesh, attended the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Green Power International Conference (February 2002) and brought back techniques and awareness to his home country. Since attending the conference, he briefed the Energy Ministry on energy conservation issues, and his presentations were so effective that the Minister now supports, and is recommending to the Prime Minister, the launching of an Energy Conservation Award and a National Energy Conservation Week for Bangladesh . Lessons learned at the Green Power conference also contributed to presentations that he made before the kick-off for the Program for Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, and Green House Gas Abatement (PREGA) funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), as well as a meeting of the Bangladesh Power Development Board.
An
Invitational Travel participant trains a group of engineers of The Ministry
of Energy and Mines in Guatemala in a self-sponsored training workshop on the
basic concepts of wind energy, following her participation in the WEATS Invitational
Travel activity, one of 74 activities supported by USAID. The workshop was
given as a strategy to share the knowledge gained at WEATS, and was based on
knowledge gained during the program as well as published materials provided
to the participants from Guatemala during their visit to the U.S. and West
Texas A&M. Over 390 participants were funded
by USAID to participate in Invitational Travel activities. Hundreds of other
individuals benefited from such programs based on knowledge sharing by the
participants upon their return to their home country. An Invitational Travel
participant trains a group of engineers from The Ministry of Energy and Mines
in Guatemala, following her participation in the Wind Energy/Village Power
Symposiums (WEATS) Invitational Travel activity. This ministry-sponsored
workshop presented on the basic concepts of wind energy was given
as a strategy to share the knowledge gained at the WEATS, and was based on
that training program as well as published materials provided to the participants
from Guatemala during their visit to the U.S. and West Texas A&M. Over
390 participants were funded by USAID to participate in Invitational Travel
activities at one of 74 trainings, where individuals benefited from these
programs, as well as taking their knowledge back to share with hundreds of
others upon their return to their home country.
Further details about CORE's involvement in the Invitational Travel Program can be found in CORE's Report on Invitational Travel in Support of Global Climate Change Related Workshops, Conferences and Other International Fora. (PDF)
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