Support Legal, Policy and Institutional Capacity Conducive to the Promotion of Efficient Energy Resources
The Rural Energy Program takes part in the energy policy reform process by providing assistance to the Ministry of Energy. The Rural Energy Program focuses primarily on promoting policy to enhance the financial and economic situation of small hydro power (SHP) projects, including both those developed under the program and future SHP projects that can be developed on a purely private basis without capital grants. In addition, REP assists the Ministry with the development of legislation covering renewable energy and energy efficiency.
As Georgia endeavors to join the European Union, the country’s policies must be aligned with EU legislation. The EU treats renewable energy and energy efficiency as priority areas for maintaining a clean environment and reducing greenhouse gas emissions throughout its territory.
The project works with the GOG to put proper legislation and regulation in place that will encourage local and international investors in financing rural electricity projects. Our task is to address those problems that create a threat to sustainable rural development.
Supporting the Market Rules Development
Since November 2006, the Rural Energy Program is actively participating in energy policy reform process. Providing assistance to the Ministry of Energy, REP is promoting policies which create a fertile environment for the economically viable SHPs.
An important part of this assistance involved conducting two weekend workshops in December for energy sector stakeholders to discuss and agree to principal changes in the Market Rules, originally adopted in June of 2006.
Since, ongoing discussions sponsored either by the Ministry of Energy or REP have resulted in achieving more beneficial terms for small hydro operators to see any energy not sold to direct customers being purchased by the Market Operator under terms which are designed for Georgia to achieve the maximum benefit in terms of domestic clean energy supply from commercially viable projects.
