MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina joins renewable energy club

Argentina yesterday signed up as a member of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP).
The signing ceremony took place at the British Embassy in Buenos Aires, and was signed by Energy Secretary Daniel Cameron and British Ambassador to Argentina Dr John Hughes.

Hughes pointed out during his welcoming speech that being a member of the partnership "helps overcome the barriers that prevents the development of renewable energy sources and is also a source for energy development models." The Ambassador added that "it is important and necessary to work with the other partners in the REEEP so as to find ways to reduce costs and share knowledge, experience and practices."

Hughes pointed out that Argentina is the 31st country to join the partnership since it was launched in August 2002 at the Summit for Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg.

Cameron said that Argentina has always attended all the summits and had been seeking to join REEEP for some time. "Prices of oil have reached a level that is encouraging the development of alternate sources of energy," the official said. He commented to the Herald after the event that a number of bills are currently before Congress seeking to set up long term policies for alternative fuels.

According to the organization's Web site, REEEP was has been developed via an intensive consultation process in 2003 covering a wide range of stakeholders at the national and regional levels.

In June 2004, the REEEP was formally established as a legal entity in Austria with the status of an International NGO. The partnership actively structures policy initiatives for clean energy markets and facilitates financing mechanisms for sustainable energy projects.

By providing opportunities for concerted collaboration among its partners, REEEP aims to accelerate the marketplace for renewable energy and energy efficiency.

The organization says its goals are to:

1) Reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 2) Deliver social improvements to developing countries and countries in transition, by improving the access to reliable clean energy services, and by making them more affordable. 3) Bring economic benefits to nations that use energy in a more efficient way and increase the share of indigenous renewable resources within their energy mix.

The partnership is funded by a number of governments including: Australia, Austria, Canada, Ireland, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, United States and the European Commission.

By Peter Johnson Buenos Aires Herald