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Regional Collaboration Action Plan
Conclusions and Recommendations
This section is written by the technical advisor and facilitator to the workshop, Mr. Paul Dickinson.
It summarizes the workshop outcomes and recommendations for the next steps that will be undertaken by the
participating universities and US partner institutions.
Observations
I view the subject
workshop, developed and led by Dr. Nesreen Ghaddar and the Faculty
of Engineering and Architecture, Energy Research Group of the
American University of Beirut, April 26-30, 2004, as an unqualified
success. The participating university faculty from five countries
demonstrated a common commitment and spirit of cooperation
throughout the five day workshop. At the event's conclusion, the
workshop participants shared a common vision of the importance of
energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies to the
sustainable economic development of the Middle East and the
opportunities represented in effective regional collaboration.
Having agreed upon next steps, the participants left the workshop
enthusiastic and committed to moving forward. We must now act
aggressively to sustain and build upon that enthusiasm.
Priorities
The information
shared during the workshop on the energy situation in each of the
five countries represented was most informative and, to some extent,
alarming. Given repeated stories of 50% loss/waste of energy
produced, most of which is generated from fossil fuels, the workshop
participant's focus on energy efficiency as the first priority for
the regional university consortium seems most appropriate. More
efficient utilization of energy already being produced and broader
introduction of renewable energy technologies could reduce or even
eliminate the need for new electric generation facilities, thereby
reducing the environmental impacts and growing drain on foreign
exchange/GDP of especially those countries with little or no fossil
fuel resources.
Education, technical workforce development and
public information outreach will be essential to eventually
improving energy end user efficiency. During our meeting with Dr.
Anhar I. Higazi and Dr. Mohadem Kordab at UN/ESCWA, they stressed
that the regional university consortium should focus on three
priority areas:
- Education at all levels
- Training of technicians
- Supporting technology transfer
I agree that these three areas should be a primary
focus of the regional university consortium's activities.
Recommendations
- The U.S. Department of State should be approached to allow an
extension of the existing grant so that any remaining funding may
be used for continued planning and to maintain and build upon the
momentum established among the regional university partners as a
result of the workshop.
- AUB and the Steering Committee should consider establishing an
international Advisory Committee (e.g. UN/ESCWA, UNDP, UNEP, World
Bank, Arab organizations, etc.) to help define the issues and
programmatic priorities, help identify major funding
opportunities, endorse consortium proposals, etc.
- The regional university consortium should conduct a fresh
evaluation of renewable energy technology and energy efficiency
curriculum and initiatives in K-12 schools and consider developing
a regional program to train teachers and distribute curriculum and
other teaching resources as broadly as possible. Behavioral change
in terms of public acceptance of responsibility for energy
conservation and environmental stewardship can eventually be
achieved by reaching the children.
- A priority focus on energy efficiency should include not only
end user programs, but also consideration of utility and
industrial issues like transmission line losses, boiler efficiency
and co-generation.
- The Steering Committee should define early a specific strategy
for involving the private sector in project planning and
execution. Regional initiatives should be undertaken in
collaboration with private sector and NGO partners to train
technicians and help spawn new businesses, such as in the area of
building energy auditing and retrofit and the installation and
maintenance of renewable energy technologies.
Conclusions
Overall, I believe
the workshop has more than met the requirements of the U.S.
Department of State grant. A viable regional university consortium
has been formed which holds the promise of achieving a significant
impact in favor of sustainable economic development in the Middle
East.
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