e8 e

e8 e-Newsletter
Third Quarter 2006

	The e8 publishes this newsletter to provide an update on our projects and activities. The present issue covers the following topics: e8 Summit News e8 Participation in International Events e8 Human Capacity Building Initiatives e8 Capital Projects e8 Education for Sustainable Energy Development Programme Back to top
		The e7 becomes the e8 at the Evian Summit
		The e7, formed in 1992 following the Rio Summit, officially became the e8 during its recent Summit in Evian, France, under the Chairmanship of EDF (France). RAO United Energy Systems of Russia, Russia's largest electricity utility, became a full member of the group at the 2005 Summit. The new e8 logo was also unveiled at the Summit... MORE INFO The e8 Chairmen discussed energy security issues during a half-day workshop during the Summit. Representatives of the World Bank and the World Economic Forum gave presentations on the perspectives of both developed and developing countries. The exchanges resulted in an e8 statement on global energy issues, conveying the viewpoints of the electricity sector to the G8 leaders who will discuss the same theme at the St-Petersburg G8 Summit in July 2006. MORE INFO Chairmanship of the e8 passed to Kansai Electric Company (Japan) for 2006-2007. Back to top
		e7/e8 joins partners to discuss sustainable development at the First Meeting of the Parties (MOP1 - COP11) of the Kyoto Protocol
		The group organised a side event on December 7, 2005 on Public-Private Partnerships: e7's Contribution to Sustainable Development during the first Meeting of the Parties of the Kyoto Protocol (MOP1-COP11), held in Montreal, Canada. Partners from the UN Department for Economic and Social Affairs and the United Nations Environment Programme joined beneficiairy country representatives and e8 experts to discuss how partnerships signed at the World Summit on Sustainable Development have facilitated human capacity building and project development activities and contribute to the Millennium Development Goals. Back to top
		e8 Human Capacity Building initiatives
		In order to share expertise and experiences with partners in developing countries, the e8 has undertaken many human capacity building and technical assistance projects. These activities are conducted on a pro bono basis. Energy Efficiency in Public Buildings - Bulgaria: Representatives from e8 companies held a workshop to increase awareness of the need to undertake energy efficiency measures in Bulgaria. A total of 78 participants from across Bulgaria attended the e8 workshop on "Structuring and Implementation of Energy Efficiency Projects in the Public Sector" in Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria, in November 2005. e8 experts shared the experiences of their companies with the state authority representatives, municipal employees, consultants and other workshop participants with a view to enhancing the effectiveness and sustainability of future energy efficiency projects in Bulgaria. Joint e8-UNEP Rural Electrification Workshop: Following a first workshop held in Bangkok in February 2005, e8 experts joined UNEP partners once again in Nairobi, Kenya, in March 2006, to ways to facilitate public-private partnerships for rural electrification. A total of 49 participants from 10 countries attended the workshop. Workshop material can be downloaded from the Rural Electrification Workshop page. Pacific Rim Islands: A second workshop was held in Fiji in November 2005 for electricity utilities from the southern Pacific Islands. The objective of the workshops, of which the first was conducted in the Marshall Islands in March 2005, is to train engineers and technicians from the region in the development of sustainable energy sites using micro-hydro, wind and solar systems, either stand-alone or grid-connected. All workshop material is available for download. MORE INFO Solar Energy in the Galapagos Islands: With a grant from the e8, a human capacity building project to train electricity utility staff in the use of utility-grade solar panel technology and enhance community education in the efficient use of electricity has recently begun in the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador. The solar energy systems will complement an educational programme on renewable energy, rational use of energy and demand-side management that is currently underway at a local high school. Back to top
		e8 Capital Projects
		Bringing energy to the 2 billion people around the world currently without access to this important resource necessitates the development of innovative capital projects that offer sustainability and replicability. The e8 has undertaken various capital projects to demonstrate the conditions associated with sustainability and replicability, and to explore different market mechanisms and business models. These projects also benefit from the expertise of e8's UN partners. Bhutan: This 70 kW run-of-river type hydro power station, built by the e8 on the Lamchela Chu river, 2,500 m above sea level in the Trongsa District of the Kingdom of Bhutan, now supplies electricity to approximately 50 households. Approved as the world's sixth registered Clean Development Mechanism by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the project was officially inaugurated in August 2005. MORE INFO Galapagos: Construction of three 800 kW wind turbines is planned for the island of San Cristobal in Ecuador's Galapagos Islands The e8, UNDP, United Nations Foundation, the local electric utility EEPG and other partners in Ecuador are cooperating to install this renewable energy source on a World Heritage site. The project will displace approximately half of the diesel generation currently being used , reduce the risk of diesel fuel tanker spills offshore and cut CO₂ emissions. With financing secured and the necessary permits in hand, engineering and preliminary construction activities are already underway. MORE INFO Kenya: The e8, in partnership with the Kenyan Government, KenGen and Kenya Power & Light Company (KPLC), is currently investigating a possible grid upgrade and extension project in rural Kenya. In the small village of Mpeketoni, diesel generation currently provides power to 240 local customers. As the consumer base in the region is expanding and power demand fluctuates, voltage drops are a regular occurence and load imbalances are frequent. The Kenyan Government plans to increase generation capacity and the e8 is currently studying measures to improve and expand the grid. Madagascar: Feasibility studies continue on a 4 MW hydroelectric power plant, transmission and distribution and an extensive rural electrification project in the north-east of Madagascar. The UN Global Compact, UNDP, the Government of Madagascar, GTZ (German Development Agency) and Electricité de Madagascar are the e8's partners for this project. Maghreb: The e8 is contributing to creating drinking water supply in the Maghreb region through the Reverse Osmosis Systems (ROS) project. Experts from the e8, along with partners from MEDREC (Center for Renewable Energies in the Mediterranean, funded by the Italian Ministry of Environment) and SONEDE (Société National d’Exploitation et de Distribution des Eaux - Tunisia), are currently studying the feasibility of using a wind generator, coupled with an energy storage and back-up unit, to generate electricity to for a desalination plant. Back to top
		e8 supports sustainable energy education
		The e8 Education for Sustainable Development (ESED) Programme has been expanded: Under the ESED Scholarship Programme, a total of five post doctoral level and 25 Masters level awards have been granted to students from Bangladesh, Bolivia, China, Ecuador, Eritrea, Ghana, India, Israel, Kenya, Mali, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, the Philippines, Trinidad, Uganda and Vietnam who are studying at universities in Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the USA. Deadline for applications for the Post-Doctoral scholarship is December 1, 2006 and for the Masters’ scholarships is March 23, 2007. MORE INFO A Forum of Scholars, researchers and practitioners has been established through the e8 website to provide further support to e8 scholars and to encourage exchanges between individuals involved in sustainable energy development. MORE INFO An Internship Programme has been developed to allow candidates from developing countries to work on sustainable energy development issues in e8 companies. Further information can be obtained from the e8 website.
		The e8, comprised of nine leading electricity companies from G8 countries, was formed in 1992 with the vision of examining and co-operating on major global electricity-related issues, with an emphasis on the global environment and sustainable energy development. The current members of the e7 are: American Electric Power (USA), EDF (France), Enel (Italy), Hydro-Québec (Canada), Kansai Electric Power Company (Japan), Ontario Power Generation (Canada), RAO UESR (Russian Federation), RWE (Germany) and Tokyo Electric Power Company (Japan).

		Posted: July 6, 2006