28 January 1999
COMMERCIAL BANK FINANCING FOR ENERGY
EFFICIENCY PROJECTS
UN/ECE LINKS SEMINAR WITH THE INTERNET
WebSite Broadcast of Energy
Efficiency 2000 Project Brings Together Commercial and
Development Banks, Companies and Government Decision Makers
SESSION HIGHLIGHTS
Important new progress has been made
in financing energy efficiency projects in central and
eastern Europe with commercial bank finance
New financing mechanisms, formation
of Energy Service Companies (ESC0s), training to increase
business planning skills and supportive energy pricing
policies have contributed greatly to recent progress
International financial institutions
such as European Bank (EBRD) and International Finance
Corporation (IFC) of the World Bank Group, the European
Commission PHARE Programme and national energy
conservation agencies have played a key catalytic role in
financing energy efficiency projects
Seminar full to capacity in the
Prague Municipal House is broadcast on the Internet to
reach additional participants in eastern European,
western Europe and North America
Key United Nations publications
prepared by KPMG Peat Marwick on Sources of Financing and
Barriers to Financing Energy Efficiency Projects issued
to Seminar
Central and eastern European commercial banks
and companies are sponsoring a Business Briefing Seminar of the
Energy Efficiency 2000 Project on 28-29 January 1999 in Prague
(Czech Republic) to examine how commercial sector financing
of energy efficiency projects can be increased to expand a market
in which development banks play a catalytic role at present. The
seminar is reviewing a wide range of market formation activities
presented by the managers of successful projects, selected
financial experts, bank officers and senior government officials.
The Ceskoslovenska Obchodni Banka a.s. is
hosting the seminar together with the support of the Investicni a
Postovni Banka a.s. (Czech Investment and Postal Bank), CEZ Czech
Energy Enterprise, Bank Austria Creditanstaldt under the
patronage of the City of Prague and with the active participation
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Trade and
Industry and Ministry of the Environment of the Czech Republic.
The seminar is organised by the Czech National Committee of the
Vienna International Council. Key presentations are being made by
the host institutions as well as the European Bank (EBRD), the
International Finance Corporation (IFC), the OTP Bank Rt.
(National Savings and Commercial Bank) of Hungary, Honeywell Inc.
of USA and Compagnie Générale des Eaux of France.
The Chairman of the UN/ECE Energy Efficiency
2000 Project Steering Committee, Mr. Ronald W. Bowes of
the US Department of Energy is joined by the Seminar Chairman Mr.
Thomas J. Sherwood of Hagler Bailly Inc. and a member of the ECE
secretariat as panel members of the Business Briefing Seminar.
Mr. Bowes has described recent progress of the Energy Efficiency
2000 Project while Mr. Sherwood presented the Business Briefing
Report on >Options for Financing Energy Efficiency Investments
in the Czech Republic= as a case study to stimulate discussion on
these issues in economies in transition.
An advanced electronic communications network
on the Internet www.ee2000.net has been established for the
Energy Efficiency 2000 Project which links eastern and western
partners from the government, finance and business sectors to
provide the information flows needed to enhance trade and
technical co-operation. The EE2000 WebSite currently provides a
Forum for over 200 eastern and western partners, a Library of
technical and financial information and Search Engines to explore
the World Wide Web for business and research partners. A new
distance learning function is being developed to enable central
and eastern European experts to develop business plans for energy
efficiency investment projects to help cut the environmental
pollution causing climate change.
The WebSite managed Camber Corporation,
Washington DC is being used to broadcast the seminar to enlarge
the audience for this event. The entire seminar is being
broadcast based on a programme and timetable (Central European
Time zone) available on the EE2000 WebSite by System 602,
Prague. A Special Briefing Session will be provided by Mr. David
Grant Hill, Camber Corporation on Project Finance Information
Access on the Internet and the EE2000 Project WebSite.
New publications of the Project are being made
available to the seminar entitled ASources of Financing for
Energy Efficiency Projects in Central and Eastern Europe@ issued
as part of the ECE Energy Series. This guide has been prepared by
KPMG Peat Marwick in Washington DC and surveys the services
provided by development banks and agencies, commercial banks,
private project financing and key information sources. In
addition, a pre-publication version of ABarriers to Financing
Energy Efficiency Projects in Central and Eastern Europe@
prepared by KPMG Pear Marwick is also being made available to
participants (see below for United Nations publications details).
The seminar will be followed by the third
session of the Ad Hoc Group of Experts on Financial Engineering
of the Energy Efficiency 2000 Project on 29 January. The Ad Hoc
Group of Experts formulated conclusions and recommendations for
ECE members on expanding commercial sector energy efficiency
project finance in eastern Europe following a Round Table
discussion. The proceedings of the Business Briefing Seminar and
the Ad Hoc Group of Experts session will be issued as a
publication of the ECE Energy Series during 1999.
For more information please contact:
Energy Efficiency 2000 Project
United Nations Economic
Commission for Europe (UN/ECE)
Palais des Nations
CH - 1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland
Telephone: +41 22 917 2410, 917 2407
Telefax: +41 22 917 0227, 917 0038
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet: http://www.ee2000.net
The publications referred to may be obtained
from:
The Sales and Marketing
Section, LDP/DPI
United Nations
Palais des Nations
CH - 1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland
Telephone: +41 22 917 2606
Telefax: +41 22 917 0027
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet: http://www.un.org/Pubs
The publications referred to above
may also be obtained from:
Room DC2-853
Dept. DO17
United Nations
New York, NY 10017
U.S.A.
Telephone: +1 212 963 8302
or 800 253 9646
Telefax: +1 212 963 3489
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet: http://www.un.org/Pubs
Bibliographic information:
Sources of Financing for Energy
Efficiency Projects in Central and Eastern Europe,
ECE Energy Series No. 15, United
Nations, Geneva and New York, 1998
Sales No. GV.E.98.0.13, ISBN
92-1-100773-9, US$ 25.00
Soft cover, 72 pages