Press Release Xvi Regional Forum: Cogeneration And

Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Belize PRESS RELEASE

XVI REGIONAL FORUM: COGENERATION AND OTHER RENEWABLE ENERGIES IN CENTRAL AMERICA

The renewable energy projects represent a clear contribution to the mitigation of the world climate change; because its use permit to substitute the consumption of fossil fuels, using the natural resources and the residues of other productive processes in a friendly way with the environment. Also, these types of energies represent a strategic importance in the developing countries, generating jobs, reducing imports of petroleum, and it’s well known that they can contribute to reduce poverty in remote and rural communities, providing energy services.

To contribute to the promotion of the benefits of the renewable energies, the General Secretariat of the Central American System for the Integration (SG- SICA) and the Central American Commission of Environment and Development (CCAD), through the Energy and Environment Partnership with Central America (EEP), jointly with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Belize, are organizing the XVI EEP Regional Forum: "Cogeneration and Other Renewable Energies in Central America", to be held in Belize City, on November 9th to 11th, 2010. The objective of this event is to disseminate information on cogeneration technology, including energy efficiency, as an environmentally friendly method of producing electricity (power), steam and/or hot water at the same time, in one process; based on fuels as wood or wood waste, sugar cane bagasse, biomass, residues and others. Also, other renewable energies will be promoted during the Forum: hydroelectricity, wind energy, solar systems and bioenergy, which have demonstrated the numerous advantages and benefits of its use in Central American countries.

This event will include the participation of representatives of the public sector related to the renewables area, as well as Finnish and Austrian companies that will offer presentations of its products and technologies applied to renewable energies, for instance solar systems, wind, hydroelectricity and cogeneration. Also, successful cases of the Central American countries will present their achievements and advances in projects related to renewable energies, and financial institutions of the region will present the benefits that are being offered to this type of projects. In the act of inauguration of the forum will participate: the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment of Belize, Minister Gaspar Vega; the Secretary General SICA, Dr. Juan Daniel Alemán; the Ambassador of Finland, Lcda. Ulla Vaisto; the Ambassador of Austria, Dr. Alfred Längle; the Representative of the European Union, Lic. Sandra Mejía; and the President of the EEP Steering Committee and Counselor of the Ministry of Environment of Finland, Dr. Markku Nurmi. The event is being organized for 200 people from Central America and Europe, and simultaneous translation will be provided. More information at: [email protected]