FEMP Workshop for Russian Ministries of Education and Energy


March 2004

On March 1 through 5, 2004, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory hosted a workshop on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) for seven officials from the Russian Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Education, and State Universities from the Volga (Privolzhsky) Federal District under the US-Russia Energy Working Group. Within DOE-EERE, several programs participated in the workshop with significant support provided by the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) and the EnergySmart Schools Program. The purpose of the workshop was to provide information to promote implementation of energy efficiency programs at state and municipal-operated education buildings in a new Volga Federal District pilot program.

As can be seen from the agenda, the workshop topics were

  1. The legislative, regulatory, and institutional basis of the DOE-FEMP Program.
  2. The financial mechanisms used and coordinated by FEMP to assist federal agencies with the implementation of energy efficiency programs.
  3. The technical assistance and coordination that are provided to agencies by FEMP to States and local governments by the Energy Smart Schools Program, as they develop and implement programs.
  4. Two facility tours and discussion with management personnel, to exemplify the value added by FEMP.

Presentation files are linked from the agenda.

The items of greatest interest to the Russian delegation were the presentations on alternative financing mechanisms, the three presentations in the Working With Colleges and Universities session, and the facility tours at the University of Maryland Energy Center Facility and the Pentagon Renovation Project. FEMP’s work in the creation of financing mechanisms, particularly through Energy Service Performance Contracts, coupled with the insights provided by an Energy Service Company active internationally (EPS Capital Corp) was of great interest to the visitors. The three University presentations coupled with the site tours provided a hands-on perspective from facility managers that have been responsible for structuring and implementing major projects in University facilities.

At the time of the workshop, the planned next steps were