 |
|
|
|
|
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
|
|
 |
| USAID Information:
External Links:
|
|
|
|
|
USAID Announces Partnership with the General Electric
Company to Improve Access to Renewable Energy in Rural Communities in India
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 26, 2006
0123-06-008
Press Office: 202-712-4320
Public Information: 202-712-4810
www.usaid.gov
Washington, DC - The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) today launched a public -private partnership with the General Electric Company (GE) to increase access to more modern and affordable energy services in rural communities in India.
USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Bureau of Economic Growth, Agriculture and Trade (EGAT), James T. Smith, and GE's Senior Manager for International Trade and Investment, Timothy J. Richards, announced the India Rural Electrification Program today at a ceremony at USAID's Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
The partnership will span a two-year period and provide up to four communities (approximately 15,000 people) in India with access to clean energy through GE power generation technologies which utilize agricultural waste (such as banana leaves), wind, and solar resources. USAID will contribute $600,000 to this program. GE and its worldwide network of partners will invest up to $2.7 million in the pilot projects, including the development of new rural electrification technologies.
Currently 56 percent of India's 700 million rural residents lack adequate and/or reliable power supplies. GE's India Rural Electrification Program has the potential to contribute significantly to stimulating economic growth and improving the quality of life in rural India. Experience gained from these pilot projects will help lay the groundwork for rural electrification models that can support the Government of India's promise of "power for all by 2009".
"USAID is proud to work with the General Electric Company to increase access to clean energy services in India. Access to clean energy helps rural communities create new opportunities for employment and income generation. This can help meet a variety of development objectives such as improved health care services, enhanced agricultural productivity, increased access to clean water, and economic empowerment. This program directly supports President Bush's Clean Energy Initiative, one component of which is the Global Village Energy Partnership which strives to increase access to modern and affordable energy services in underserved areas. USAID is committed to providing access to cleaner, more modern and more affordable energy," said Smith.
"GE is committed to providing cleaner electric power to rural locations in India," Mr. Richards said. "We are pleased to work with USAID in rural communities to make these electrification projects successful."
The U.S. Agency for International Development is the lead federal agency charged with providing humanitarian and development assistance to more than 100 countries.
USAID's Global Development Alliance approach mobilizes the ideas, expertise, and resources of governments, businesses and civil society by forging public-private alliances. Since 2001, USAID has provided more than $1.1 billion for nearly 300 public-private alliances and leveraged over $3.7 billion in partner contributions. Through these alliances, USAID has not only gained additional financial resources for development activities, but also new technologies, intellectual capital, and technical and managerial expertise that enhance its ability to address an increasingly complex set of development challenges.
The General Electric Corporation, through its affiliate GE Energy, is one of the world's leading suppliers of power generation and energy delivery technology. GE Energy provides equipment, service and management solutions across the power generation, transmission and distribution, distributed power, and energy rental industries.
The U.S. Agency for International Development has provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for more than 40 years.
Back to Top ^
|
RSS Feed for Recent USAID Press Releases
