IIEC Wins Financial Innovation Grant Competition March 5th, 2010
The Agence Française de Développement, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and The World Bank co-hosted a Marketplace on Innovative Financial Solutions for Development (http://en.fininnov.org/main.php?page=call-end2) in Paris on March 4-5, 2010. The Marketplace brought together a number of international development practitioners, financiers, donors, social entrepreneurs, academics, civil society, and policy makers.
A key feature of the event was a grant competition to highlight fresh ideas on how innovative financing mechanisms can be used to better solve development challenges and can be scaled up and replicated broadly. Over 800 organisations entered the competition, 20 of these were short-listed, including IIEC’s proposal “EcoTRA: EcoHousing Trust and Retention Accounts”. The event also included a number of workshops on financing development, as well as 3 plenary sessions. Videos of the plenaries are available at this site: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xcmk7t_plenary-i-part-5-7_news.
EcoTRA is a proposal to establish Trust and Retention (escrow) accounts to finance climate-friendly interventions in common areas of co-operative housing societies. The escrow mechanism will reduce the risk of lending, giving banks access to a large number of new clients. Co-operative housing societies will have increased access to finance and lower utility bills; energy efficiency service providers will receive additional business, and large-scale implementation will lead to lower energy consumption and green house gas emission. The model will be tested in Thane, which is part of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The IIEC team interacted with participants at the Marketplace.
Based on the written proposal and 2 sessions with 4 judges from a panel, EcoTRA was announced to be one of the 5 winners for a grant of US $100,000 to implement a pilot of the project in Thane. The winners were presented a trophy by AFD CEO Jean Michel Severino.
A video clip of the announcement that EcoTRA was one of the winners.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed by and between International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials - India (IAPMO-India) and the International Institute for Energy Conservation – India (IIEC-India) at Pune, India on the 16th day of August 2010.
Preparing Electric Cooperatives and Distribution Utilities in Mindanao for the CFL Distribution
6 July 2010 - The Philippine Energy Efficiency Project (PEEP), through its Project Consultants from the International Institute for Energy Conservation, will conduct a series of briefings to prepare the 33 Electric Cooperatives (ECs) and three (3) private Distribution Utilities (DUs) in the Mindanao area for the CFL Distribution in mid-July 2010. The activity will be held in batches on July 7 and 8 at the Grand Men Seng, Davao City, and on July 9 at the Dynasty Hotel, Cagayan de Oro City.
17 May 2010 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today appointed Christiana Figueres of Costa Rica (a former IIEC Board Member) to lead United Nations efforts to combat climate change.
Christiana Figueres for Top U.N. Climate Change Position
Christiana Figueres, a former IIEC Board Member, was one of the original promoters of the concept of a programmatic approach to climate change. In recognition of her long-standing leadership in the climate change arena, she has been nominated by President Oscar Arias of Costa Rica for the position of Executive Secretary of the United Nations Climate Change Convention. The Secretary General of the UN will personally select the new Secretary of the UNCCC through a merit-based selection process, and governments will undoubtedly have an opinion as well. She has broad support from many countries already. However, a group of impressed friends has decided that this is an excellent opportunity to make the voice of civil society heard in the midst of UN and government decisions.
IIEC Wins Financial Innovation Grant Competition March 5th, 2010
The Agence Française de Développement, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and The World Bank co-hosted a Marketplace on Innovative Financial Solutions for Development (http://en.fininnov.org/main.php?page=call-end2) in Paris on March 4-5, 2010. The Marketplace brought together a number of international development practitioners, financiers, donors, social entrepreneurs, academics, civil society, and policy makers.
EMPOWER INDIA 2009, August 20-22, 2009, Mumbai, India
Energy Efficiency - Key to Sustainability and Security
IIEC is proud to be an endorser of EMPOWER INDIA 2009, which is organised by Urjavaran Foundation jointly with BUREAU OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY (BEE), Ministry of Power, Government of India. The Exhibition, first of its kind is specially to promote Energy Efficient products and systems, Renewable Energy along with Efficient Building materials as specified under ECBC. It will also highlight Star rated products as approved by BEE.
Opportunities For Energy Professionals in Thailand and the Philippines
International Institute for Energy Conservation (IIEC), a leading international not-for profit non-governmental organization, with a mandate to promote energy efficiency and environmental solutions, with headquarters in USA and regional offices in Asia, Africa and the Americas, is seeking highly qualified individuals to work on energy efficiency initiatives primarily throughout Asia, Pacific and Africa.
IIEC Holds a Project Close-out Workshop on the USAID Methane to Markets Grant
The close out workshop of the USAID funded Methane to Markets program on “Productive Use of Methane in the Indian Diary Industry” was held in September 12, 2008, in Mumbai, to disseminate program results and identify the way forward to encourage other dairies to effectively capture methane from the wastewater stream and use it to generate electricity for in-house use.
Urban Development Forum, 6th - 7th November 2008, Mumbai, India
Urban Development forum 2008 is complete with excellent case studies and panel discussion from leading industry players that will showcase their experience and expertise on dealing with some of the challenges of urban development in India. Delegates will gain first-hand information on holistic approach towards urban development challenges and future direction of sustaining development. The highly interactive 2-day conference will offer excellent networking opportunities to delegates.
Promoting Energy Efficiency in SME Sector in Vietnam
With the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) assistance, IIEC has completed a comprehensive capacity building program in Vietnam focusing on the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector under the “Promotion of Energy Conservation in Small to Medium Scale Enterprises (PECSME)” project. The project was targeted in five industries - Brick, Textile, Pulp & Paper, Ceramics and Food Processing. The project goals include reduction of production costs of 10-15% in addition to GHG emission reduction resulting from energy savings.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed by and between International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials - India (IAPMO-India) and the International Institute for Energy Conservation – India (IIEC-India) at Pune, India on the 16th day of August 2010.
6 July 2010 - The Philippine Energy Efficiency Project (PEEP), through its Project Consultants from the International Institute for Energy Conservation, will conduct a series of briefings to prepare the 33 Electric Cooperatives (ECs) and three (3) private Distribution Utilities (DUs) in the Mindanao area for the CFL Distribution in mid-July 2010. The activity will be held in batches on July 7 and 8 at the Grand Men Seng, Davao City, and on July 9 at the Dynasty Hotel, Cagayan de Oro City.
Christiana Figueres, a former IIEC Board Member, was one of the original promoters of the concept of a programmatic approach to climate change. In recognition of her long-standing leadership in the climate change arena, she has been nominated by President Oscar Arias of Costa Rica for the position of Executive Secretary of the United Nations Climate Change Convention. The Secretary General of the UN will personally select the new Secretary of the UNCCC through a merit-based selection process, and governments will undoubtedly have an opinion as well. She has broad support from many countries already. However, a group of impressed friends has decided that this is an excellent opportunity to make the voice of civil society heard in the midst of UN and government decisions. 
With the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) assistance, IIEC has completed a comprehensive capacity building program in Vietnam focusing on the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector under the “Promotion of Energy Conservation in Small to Medium Scale Enterprises (PECSME)” project. The project was targeted in five industries - Brick, Textile, Pulp & Paper, Ceramics and Food Processing. The project goals include reduction of production costs of 10-15% in addition to GHG emission reduction resulting from energy savings.