0. Building Energy Smart Communities by Promoting Energy Cooperative Business Model
an APEC Project Concept Note,
proposed by Russian Federation
APEC Energy Working Group Meeting
Washington, November 2012

1. Challenge: Access to Electricity
Access to electricity in the world (2008/2030)
Far East of Russia: government strategy
Far East of Russia: energy poverty
Energy poverty

2. Electric Cooperatives: a Viable Business Model?
Experts
from APEC economies
Would you agree that cooperative can be effective way to introduce microgrid technologies and more renewable energy to local energy sector in island and remote areas?
Workshop “Microgrids for Local Energy Supply to Remote Areas and Islands in APEC Region”, Russia 2012

3. USA – the Leader in Cooperative Energy
America’s electric cooperative network
Cooperatives and the Smart Grid
Electric cooperatives employment
Cooperatives and Renewable Energy

4. Project Rationale
Limited access to energy in remote areas and islands with abundance of unexplored renewables stress the relevance of local (off-grid, decentralised) energy development across the Asia Pacific.
There has been progress in both distributed energy technology and enabling policy development, but the rate of adoption of local energy development models still lags behind.
A viable model for remote, off-grid or microgrid power generation in certain APEC economies (USA, Canada, Australia) suggests engaging local communities to establish electric energy cooperatives.

5. Project Objectives
To identify and share best practices in establishing and managing energy cooperatives for accelerated development of local energy systems in remote areas and islands
To enhance the understanding of energy cooperative as a smart business model that mostly meets the requirements of remote and isolated communities
To encourage APEC economies to implement pilot projects of local community-based cooperatives and to further share success stories and methodologies of developing and managing energy cooperatives
To make an essential and result-oriented contribution to the APEC Energy Smart Communities Initiative

6. Tentative Work Plan & Budget
Nov 2012 – Jan 2013
Discuss the Project Concept Note with the EWG (other interested APEC fora and sub-fora?), reach the basic consensus on the objectives and deliverables, identify co-sponsors
Jan/Feb 2013
Submit the Concept Note for the 1st APEC project approval session in 2013
Feb – Apr 2013
Wait for the results of the project approval session, work with the APEC Secretariat to improve the quality of the Project Proposal
Apr – Jul 2013
[If approved] Employ consultants, engage stakeholders, review literature, compile relevant information for the next stage
Aug/Sep 2013
Hold a workshop in Russia
Oct – Dec 2013
Review the outcomes of the workshop to provide final deliverables to APEC via EWG
Budget Requested:
Total $181,000 (mostly travel and labour costs)
Russia $61,000 (mostly hosting and labour costs)

7. Project Proponent: Contact Details
Talyat Aliev (Mr.)
Deputy Director, International Cooperation Department
Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation
Svetlana Beznasyuk (Dr.)
Chief Expert, International Cooperation Department
Your queries and comments are welcome.
Thanks for your attention!