Energy technical services support program

The U.S. Department of Energy helped implement the project. Evaluation covered the period 9/78-9/88. The project played a significant role in launching A.I.D."s energy program. Diverse policy considerations guided the program to non-conventional renewable energy for rural development, and more traditional energy forms for urban and industrial development. The energy program evolved over its life in response to several factors, including: (1) significantly lower fossil fuel prices; (2) a better understanding of the role that donor assistance plays in policy change and the encouragement of private sector investments in energy; (3) the application of lessons learned from past projects; and (4) efforts to capitalize on technical and scientific expertise of the U.S. energy industry. The current program emphasizes three areas: (1) enhancing and improving efficiency in electricity generating systems, with a growing role for the private sector; (2) conserving energy in the commercial and industrial sectors; and (3) increasing supplies of energy for rural development. Activities now being financed are focusing on the most critical energy problems facing developing countries - the "power" crisis and the rising costs (and increasingly limited supplies) of fuels traditionally used for domestic purposes.