A delegation of five energy professionals from Moldova will spend September 7-15 in North Dakota examining ways to provide secure, domestic electricity resources for Moldova.
Bismarck State College and the Great Plains Energy Corridor are hosting the delegation. The visit is managed by the Open World Leadership Center, a support agency of the United States Congress.
While in Bismarck, the delegates will participate in an array of activities ranging from briefings with North Dakota Department of Commerce officials, to tours of the Blue Flint Ethanol Plant and Wilton Wind Farm , engagement with North Dakota's Public Service Commission, and a morning exploring public/private partnerships hosted by KLJ.
The five visiting delegates are Lilian Barcaru, Silvia Pascaru, Alexandru Mija, and Marecla Zubatti, all of the National Agency for Energy Regulation, and Nicolae Olari, Consultant for the Agency for Energy Efficiency (AEE). Mircea Manoli, Projects Coordinator at Chisinau International Airport, will serve as facilitator for the group.
According to Emily McKay, director of the Great Plains Energy Corridor and visit coordinator, Moldova is seeking alternative sources of energy such as wind and biomass in order to gain control over its energy policy. At this time the country is completely dependent on energy from Russia, Transnistria (a breakaway territory of Moldova), and Ukraine.
"This exchange brings Moldovan government officials engaged in energy policy, cross-border energy diplomacy, and alternative energy development to North Dakota to gain broad exposure to energy regulations, energy efficiency efforts, renewable energy projects and energy policy in the United States," she says.
The delegates are being hosted by local families allowing the Open World delegates to experience American family life. They will also take part in several cultural and community activities, including a visit to the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center and Papa's Pumpkin Patch.
Since its founding by Congress in 1999, the Open World program has enabled more than 19,000 current and future Eurasian leaders to experience American democracy, civil society and community life; work with their American counterparts; stay in American homes; and gain new ideas and inspiration for implementing change back home. More than 7,100 American host families and their communities in all 50 states have partnered with Congress and the Open World Leadership Center to make this ambitious public diplomacy effort possible. The Open World program currently operates exchanges for political and civic leaders from Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
The Open World program is designed to enhance understanding and capabilities for cooperation between the United States and the countries of Eurasia by developing a network of leaders in the region who have gained significant, firsthand exposure to America's democratic, accountable government and free-market system.
For more information or a more complete schedule of the Moldovan delegation visit, contact McKay at 701-224-2410 or Emily.mckay@bismarckstate.edu.
For more information about the Great Plains Energy Corridor, visit energynd.com. For more information on the Open World program, visit openworld.gov.
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About Moldova
Moldova is slightly larger than Maryland with a population of 3.6M. The land locked Republic of Moldova lies in the central part of Europe in the northeastern Balkans between Romania and Ukraine. Moldova is known for its wines and contains the world's largest wine cellars.
Moldova is the poorest country in Europe. Energy efficiency is a top priority in Moldova, a country that imports more than 90 per cent of the energy it consumes and spends more than 30 per cent of its import budget on energy. At the same time the outmoded urban infrastructure, dilapidated communal housing and obsolete energy infrastructure lead to an enormous waste of resources at the consumer level.
Moldova imports all of its supplies of petroleum, coal, and natural gas, largely from Russia. Moldova is a partner in the European INOGATE, a program that supports energy policy cooperation between the European Union and the INOGATE Partner Countries.
According to Moldova's Energy Strategy 2020, adopted in 2007, the country's renewable energy production should increase to 6 percent in 2010 and 20 percent in 2020. The strategy seeks to create a more efficient, reliable and competitive national energy industry
- Energy supply systems oriented to serving the needs of the customer.
- Reasonable tariffs and the development of a favorable investment climate.
- Enhancing Moldova's role as an important transit country for electricity and gas.
Bismarck State College and the Great Plains Energy Corridor are hosting the delegation. The visit is managed by the Open World Leadership Center, a support agency of the United States Congress.
While in Bismarck, the delegates will participate in an array of activities ranging from briefings with North Dakota Department of Commerce officials, to tours of the Blue Flint Ethanol Plant and Wilton Wind Farm , engagement with North Dakota's Public Service Commission, and a morning exploring public/private partnerships hosted by KLJ.
The five visiting delegates are Lilian Barcaru, Silvia Pascaru, Alexandru Mija, and Marecla Zubatti, all of the National Agency for Energy Regulation, and Nicolae Olari, Consultant for the Agency for Energy Efficiency (AEE). Mircea Manoli, Projects Coordinator at Chisinau International Airport, will serve as facilitator for the group.
According to Emily McKay, director of the Great Plains Energy Corridor and visit coordinator, Moldova is seeking alternative sources of energy such as wind and biomass in order to gain control over its energy policy. At this time the country is completely dependent on energy from Russia, Transnistria (a breakaway territory of Moldova), and Ukraine.
"This exchange brings Moldovan government officials engaged in energy policy, cross-border energy diplomacy, and alternative energy development to North Dakota to gain broad exposure to energy regulations, energy efficiency efforts, renewable energy projects and energy policy in the United States," she says.
The delegates are being hosted by local families allowing the Open World delegates to experience American family life. They will also take part in several cultural and community activities, including a visit to the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center and Papa's Pumpkin Patch.
Since its founding by Congress in 1999, the Open World program has enabled more than 19,000 current and future Eurasian leaders to experience American democracy, civil society and community life; work with their American counterparts; stay in American homes; and gain new ideas and inspiration for implementing change back home. More than 7,100 American host families and their communities in all 50 states have partnered with Congress and the Open World Leadership Center to make this ambitious public diplomacy effort possible. The Open World program currently operates exchanges for political and civic leaders from Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
The Open World program is designed to enhance understanding and capabilities for cooperation between the United States and the countries of Eurasia by developing a network of leaders in the region who have gained significant, firsthand exposure to America's democratic, accountable government and free-market system.
For more information or a more complete schedule of the Moldovan delegation visit, contact McKay at 701-224-2410 or Emily.mckay@bismarckstate.edu.
For more information about the Great Plains Energy Corridor, visit energynd.com. For more information on the Open World program, visit openworld.gov.
# # #
About Moldova
Moldova is slightly larger than Maryland with a population of 3.6M. The land locked Republic of Moldova lies in the central part of Europe in the northeastern Balkans between Romania and Ukraine. Moldova is known for its wines and contains the world's largest wine cellars.
Moldova is the poorest country in Europe. Energy efficiency is a top priority in Moldova, a country that imports more than 90 per cent of the energy it consumes and spends more than 30 per cent of its import budget on energy. At the same time the outmoded urban infrastructure, dilapidated communal housing and obsolete energy infrastructure lead to an enormous waste of resources at the consumer level.
Moldova imports all of its supplies of petroleum, coal, and natural gas, largely from Russia. Moldova is a partner in the European INOGATE, a program that supports energy policy cooperation between the European Union and the INOGATE Partner Countries.
According to Moldova's Energy Strategy 2020, adopted in 2007, the country's renewable energy production should increase to 6 percent in 2010 and 20 percent in 2020. The strategy seeks to create a more efficient, reliable and competitive national energy industry
- Energy supply systems oriented to serving the needs of the customer.
- Reasonable tariffs and the development of a favorable investment climate.
- Enhancing Moldova's role as an important transit country for electricity and gas.