Smart Grid / Renewable Energy Pilot Projects – Costa Rica

archived

The U.S. Department of State’s Regional Environmental Hub for Central America and the Caribbean ("Hub"), based at the U.S. Embassy in San Jose, Costa Rica, is pleased to invite applications from prospective grantees to develop pilot projects in Costa Rica demonstrating the viability of smart grid technologies in conjunction with small-scale renewable energy systems. The Hub expects to award one grant of up to $80,000 for a pilot project in the Greater San Jose metropolitan area and a second grant of up to $80,000 for a pilot project in the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica. Alternatively, the Hub could award a single grant of up to $160,000 to an applicant that would develop one pilot project in each of the two specified regions. The Hub is pleased to solicit proposals for up to two (2) pilot projects in Costa Rica under the the "Energy and Environmental Security Initiative" (EESI) that the Hub is carrying out as part of the "Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas" (ECPA) announced by President Barack Obama at the April 2009 Summit of the Americas. In conjunction with other EESI efforts, these projects offer an opportunity to showcase existing and emerging technologies and highlight potential ways that local, national, and regional authorities might reduce or eliminate long-standing regulatory and legislative hurdles to investments in clean energy, energy efficiency, and/or “smart grid” systems. The grant awardee(s) will carry out funded activities in the Greater San Jose Metropolitan area and/or the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica with the overall goal of incentivizing policymakers in Costa Rica and elsewhere in the region to strengthen the enabling environment for greater investments in smart grids and small-scale renewable energy development. The Hub welcomes innovative approaches to pilot project development that include not only technological solutions but also offer strong opportunities for future public education and outreach to policymakers. The Hub also encourages applicants to partner with relevant public entities and/or private sector organizations to optimize prospects for successful pilot projects. Further details and instructions are available in the Application Package that may be downloaded from this site.

High