U.S. Department of State

   

[Released by USAID]

Energy Working Group of the U.S.-Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission

Protocol of Intent Among the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Russian Energy Agency on Cooperation In Promoting Clean Energy in the Russia Far East

Within the structure of the Energy Working Group of the U.S.-Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Russian Energy Agency (REA), collectively known as the Participants, and each individually, a Participant, seek to work jointly and in collaboration with other partners to encourage clean energy development in the Russia Far East.

1. The Participants recognize that the United States and the Russian Federation share common energy efficiency goals and objectives as world leaders in energy production and consumption. The Participants also recognize the need to mitigate the greenhouse gas and black carbon emissions associated with energy production, transmission, and consumption, particularly in environmentally sensitive regions.

2. The Participants agree on the importance of reliable, cost-effective, and environmentally sound municipal services such as heat and electricity to the quality of life, productivity, employment, security, and welfare of our citizens.

3. The Participants agree that comprehensive municipal energy supply and demand planning, including consideration of energy efficiency and combined heat and power technologies, have potential to reduce municipal energy expenditures and to mitigate greenhouse gas and black carbon emissions, while improving the delivery of essential municipal services and improving citizens’ comfort and quality of life.

4. The Participants agree that the collaboration outlined in this Protocol aims to leverage their collective expertise and knowledge in order to:

• Develop solutions to barriers to sustainable urban clean energy improvements;
   
• Strengthen the capacity of urban planners and managers to engage in municipal energy planning and to determine appropriate investments in combined heat and power and energy efficient technologies;
   
• Create or improve the enabling environment by which municipalities can make investments in clean energy; and
   
• Encourage rehabilitation of existing building and construction of new building stock characterized by high levels of energy efficiency, clean energy, and the capability of communicating with electricity and heat networks.

5. The Participants agree to explore activities that will focus on demonstrating the benefits of municipal energy planning and implementation of cost-effective clean energy solutions in at least one community. These activities will be goal oriented and may include, but not be limited to:

• Exchange of information and experiential data on a regular basis with the goal of supporting mutually agreed upon deliverables that may take the form of new policies, procedures, municipal energy planning methodology, energy audits, clean energy projects, as mutually agreed to by the Participants;
   
• Engage in a formal training program for municipal, regional and utility managers and planners to support development of municipal energy plans or other deliverables as agreed to by the Participants. Collaborate on a diagnostic assessment that identifies priority needs in municipal energy plan(s) including the district heating system, water/wastewater utility, street lighting and municipal buildings (e.g., schools, hospitals);
   
• Prepare energy audits where high potential exists for energy savings and encourage development of project proposal business plan(s) for cost-effective improvements;
   
• Explore financing options from affected municipal and regional governments, IFIs, and private financial sources to enable project implementation;
   
• Provide technical assistance and determine interest of leading U.S. companies providing applicable technologies and services to complement the exchange of best practices in support of mutually agreed upon deliverables; and
   
• Disseminate the accomplishments of the Partnership to a broad audience of policy makers, regulators and municipal authorities and associations, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.

6. Each Participant is to be fully responsible for its expenses incurred while undertaking activities in connection with the programs described herein, and all such expenses and activities are subject to the availability of funds to each Participant.

7. Nothing in the Protocol of Intent is intended to be constructed as superseding or interfering in any way with any contracts or any other agreements entered into by the Participants, either prior to or subsequent to the signing of this Protocol on Intent.

8. The Participants acknowledge that this Protocol of Intent does not constitute either an expenditure or an obligation of funds, nor does it constitute a legally binding commitment by any Participant or create any rights in any third party.

9. Additions and/or modifications may be introduced into or appended to this Protocol of Intent as needed, upon the written mutual consent of the Participants.

10. Activities under this Protocol of Intent are to commence upon the date of signature and continue for three (3) years and may be automatically extended for three (3) additional years unless a Participant notifies the other Participant in writing of its desire to discontinue this Protocol of Intent. The Participants may discontinue cooperation under this Protocol of Intent at any time, and intended to endeavor to provide the other Participant with three (3) months written notice before such discontinuation.

11. This Protocol is not an international agreement and will not create any right or responsibilities under international law.

For the Russian Federation

_______________________________
Timur Ivanov
Russian Energy Agency

 

For the United States

_______________________________
Jonathan Hale
United States Agency for International Development