The U.S. Initiative on Joint Implementation (USIJI) has approved seven projects that employ a wide range of renewable energy, forestry, and energy efficiency technologies. Five of these projects are located in the African countries of Uganda, Mali, Djibouti and Mauritius. These are the first USIJI projects to be located in these countries.

The USIJI, established in 1993 as part of the Clinton-Gore Administration’s Climate Change Action Plan, encourages U.S. businesses and non-governmental organizations to use their resources and innovative technologies and practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while promoting sustainable development worldwide. Such partnerships offer the potential to achieve greater and more cost-effective emission reductions worldwide than would be possible in each country alone.

The initiative now includes 51 projects in 25 countries, representing a diversity of technologies that range from forestry conservation practices to power plant conversions. The projects are reviewed and selected by an evaluation panel comprised of senior representatives from the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Interior, State and Transportation, and co-chaired by the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency.

The seven new projects approved by the USIJI are:

Sustainable management and forest protection will increase carbon sequestration on a 70,000 hectare (175,000 acre) area of degraded montane forest and agricultural land near Los Toldos, in the province of Salta in northern Argentina.

This project will combine tree plantations in agricultural lands, enrichment planting and sustainable management in degraded logged forests and forest preservation. Approximately 14,524,700 metric tonnes of CO₂ will be sequestered over the 30-year lifetime of the project. (One metric tonne is equivalent to 1,102 short tons in the United States). After the project period, the property will become a reserve.

U.S. Partner: ReForesta Inc., Puerto Rico

Non-U.S. Partner: Fundación Proyungas, Argentina

Working with small farmers, this project will reforest 7,000 hectares (17,500 acres) of degraded pastureland in two regions in Chile with radiata pine and eucalyptus trees for commercial fiber production. The two non-native species were selected for their high productivity.

This afforestation and sustainable management would sequester carbon as well as enhance the local economy and biodiversity. Over the 48-year lifetime of the project, a total of 1,410,125 metric tonnes of CO₂ will be sequestered.

U.S. Partner: Cfix, L.L.C. (an affiliate of Trillium Corporation), Washington State

Non-U.S. Partner: Sociedad Inversora Forestal (SIF), S.A., Chile

This 30 megawatt geothermal power project replaces imported diesel/gas generation in an area largely devoid of regional coal, oil, and natural gas resources. The facility will provide base load power to the national utility, Electricite de Djibouti (EdD), for distribution to the Djibouti market. The project involves the drilling and completion of a well field to supply medium to high enthalpy fluids to the power plant. Additional capacity will be added as needed to meet market demand. The proposers estimate that the project will reduce CO₂ emissions by 153,413 tonnes per year. Total projected benefits amount to approximately 4,448,977 metric tonnes of CO₂ over a 30-year project life.

U.S. Partner: Geothermal Development Associates (GDA) of Nevada

Non-U.S. Partner: Electricité de Djibouti (EdD), Djibouti

The proposed project would design and build three Energy Centers in Segou, Sikasso, and Bamako, with the intent that they would be the first of a possible chain of neighborhood energy and communications convenience stores. The Energy Centers would introduce a range of new energy and communications technologies for household and community use. These new technologies would displace wood fuel, kerosene, and diesel; improve the efficiency of energy used for cooking, lighting, refrigeration, and battery recharging; and provide access to telecommunications, computer and information technologies.

Greenhouse gas reductions for the pilot are expected to be approximately 418 metric tonnes of CO₂ equivalent over the 20-year project life.

U.S. Partner: PEER Global Environmental Foundation, Inc., Rockville, Maryland

Non-U.S. Partner: Mali Department of the Environment, Mali

The proposed project involves installing a 2,600 square-meter solar array (300 kilowatt) to displace diesel generation on the Island of Rodrigues, approximately 400 kilometers east of Mauritius. To minimize impacts from

new road and power line construction, the array will be placed near the existing diesel generation plant. By displacing the 2,500 kW diesel generator, the island’s main source of power, the project will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 470 metric tonnes of CO₂ per year. Total emissions reductions over the 35-year project life will be 16,000 metric tonnes of CO₂.

U.S. Partner: Siemens Solar Industries, Camarillo, CA

Non-U.S. Partner: Siemens Ltd., South Africa (registered in Mauritius)

The project will provide electric light and radio to areas of rural Uganda where electric grid extension is unlikely. The goal is to electrify 5,000 churches, schools, health clinics, community centers and homes over the next two years. Each unit will be provided a solar lighting kit powered by a 60-watt roof-mounted solar module, with a battery for nighttime use.

By replacing the existing kerosene lanterns, each system will save approximately 0.58 metric tonne of CO₂ per year. The project estimates reductions of CO₂ totaling approximately 52,600 metric tonnes over the 20-year lifetime of the project.

U.S. Partners: Solar Light for the Churches of Africa and The Hathaway Foundation

Non-U.S. Partners: Solar Energy for Uganda, Ltd., Kampala, Uganda; and the (Anglican) Church of Uganda

This project will establish the first of a possible chain of neighborhood energy and communications convenience stores in suburban and rural Ugandan communities. The location of the Energy Center has not yet been determined; however, Teso, Gulu, and Bagunda are under consideration.

The Energy Center would introduce a range of new energy and communications technologies for household and community use. These new technologies would displace wood fuel, kerosene and diesel; improve efficiency of energy used for cooking, lighting, refrigeration and battery recharging; and provide access to telecommunications, computer and information technologies. Greenhouse gas reductions for the pilot are expected to be approximately 152 metric tonnes of CO₂ equivalent over the 20-year project life.

U.S. Partners: PEER Global Environmental Foundation Inc., Rockville, MD

Non-U.S. Partners: Ugandan Department of Meteorology, Uganda