REEEP

REEEP funds energy projects in China, India

Vienna, 03.09.2007

Biomass magazine, September 2007

The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) recently announced the disbursement of 3.2 million euros to 35 new projects designed to remove market barriers of clean energy and energy efficiency across the developing world. The funds were provided by the governments of the United Kingdom, Norway, Ireland, New Zealand and Italy.

“[The] REEEP feels that these projects are important as they are focused on the implementation of policies and business models that can be replicated across the developing world and economies in transition,” said Peter Richards, communications director for the REEEP, a public-private partnership of more than 200 national governments, businesses, development banks and nongovernmental organizations. “In many cases, governments produce targets for renewable energy and energy efficiency, but determining ways to achieve those targets can be difficult.”

One project that may pave the way involves identifying the technological, political and financial barriers to the development and use of biomass for energy in rural China, which will culminate in the development of a national action plan aimed at removing those barriers to enable the country to meet its national biomass development target.

A second project will develop a business model for energy service companies wanting to design, finance, construct and operate large-scale biogas power generation facilities at livestock farms in China.

A third project intends to remove the financial and institutional barriers to the mainstream use of biomass thermal gasifiers for small enterprises and institutions in India. The project will raise awareness among users, banks, manufacturers and local service providers of available technology, and create financing schemes for all three groups via a revolving fund with the aim of financing 30 biomass gasifier systems of various capacities, Richards said. “Our work in bioenergy will help China and India to create market mechanisms that will accelerate biomass and biogas power production.”