Fact Sheet:

 U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) Energy Efficiency Partnership

On December 4, 2008, the United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) Director Larry Walther and the U.S. Export Import Bank Chairman James Lambright will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Export-Import Bank of China Chairman Li Ruogu and the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) Vice Chairman Zhang Xiaoqiang.  Under this MOU, USTDA, in cooperation with the U.S. Export-Import Bank, the Export-Import Bank of China, and NDRC, will provide resources to promote energy efficiency investments in China through a program that would identify suitable energy efficiency projects, facilitate project financing, provide training, and introduce suppliers and buyers.

To help promote increased energy efficiency, USTDA agrees to provide:

• Advisory assistance to the Export-Import Bank of China to identify energy efficiency projects for financing;
• Technical assistance on curriculum and training for energy efficiency audits to the NDRC;
• Trade facilitation (conferences, workshops and orientation visits) to facilitate cooperation between U.S. companies and potential Chinese buyers, in concert with the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service; and
• Support for “eco-partnerships” to mobilize U.S. private sector expertise and resources to address energy efficiency issues in China.
  

A focus on one location (such as Hebei Province) is envisioned, with priority projects selected with NDRC, the Export-Import Bank of China, the U.S. Export-Import Bank, and the Provincial Government. 

This mutually beneficial program will provide direct development benefits to China by expanding its capability to assess its energy efficiency equipment needs, while also supporting U.S. companies by promoting advanced U.S. technological solutions.  It will utilize and leverage U.S. private sector expertise and resources to create greater capability among Chinese government and industry to promote pollution reduction and energy efficient industry.

This initiative supports the U.S.-China Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) Ten-Year Framework on Energy and Environment as well as builds upon existing energy efficiency activities of the Asia Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.