Thursday, August 25, 2016

East Africa: US Agency to Work With Japan to Advance Geothermal Energy

Power Africa Launches New Partnership With The Government Of Japan (News Release)

Will collaborate on advancing the geothermal sector in East Africa

Today, Power Africa announced a new partnership arrangement with the Government of Japan focused on reducing energy poverty and increasing access to sustainable energy in sub-Saharan Africa. The Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) between the United States and Japan -- signed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA) -- includes commitments to share strengths, expertise and resources in an effort to accelerate access to renewable energy in Africa.

Through Power Africa, USAID and MOFA seek to further align the Power Africa initiative and Japan’s relevant efforts in the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) process and will provide a foundation for collaboration in the energy sector. Through this MOC, the Government of Japan is committing to bring an additional 1,200 megawatts (MW) of power to sub-Saharan Africa by the end of 2018.

Power Africa and the government of Japan will collaborate on advancing the geothermal sector in East Africa. Recognizing that geothermal is an integral aspect of sub-Saharan Africa’s renewable energy supply, Power Africa and MOFA endeavor to support sub-Saharan African governments in developing their geothermal potential. Support may include co-leading a stakeholder coordination group, facilitating private sector-led investments, working to improve the enabling environment, and conducting strategic assessments.

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