From November 2012 to September 2013, Juan Carlos Lopez, Senior Research Scientist at the Colombian National Coffee Research Center (CENICAFE) will participate in a scientific exchange in Peoria, Illinois. The purpose of this exchange is to study and develop the potential uses of the coffee waste stream as a source of biomass for generating renewable […]

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs has selected 20 outstanding scholars to engage in collaborative thinking, analysis, problem-solving and multi-disciplinary research on improving the quality of life through environmental changes in the Western Hemisphere in one of three inter-related topics: Science, Technology and Innovation; Entrepreneurship; and Sustainable Energy. Approximately one-third […]

Peace Corps and Trees, Water & People (TWP) are training Peace Corps Volunteers (PCV) to build clean cookstoves. The knowledge shared with local community leaders through this program provides communities with the skills required to build and maintain clean cookstoves. In the small rural village of Rio Abajo, in the municipality of Chalatenango, a total […]

On November 14-15, the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MINEM) of Peru and the Department of Sustainable Development of the Organization of American States (OAS), which operates the ECPA Clearinghouse, co-hosted the II Regional Symposium on Energy Efficiency in Lima. The Symposium addressed specific activities intended to foster energy efficiency at the national and regional […]

On November 12, 2012, the Institute of the Americas hosted the Chile Energy Roundtable in Santiago. Participants highlighted the importance of increasing transmission infrastructure and the need to connect the nation’s two electric grids in an effort to counteract high energy costs and strike a balance between sustainable development and economic growth. Addressing an audience […]

Central America faces severe deforestation and forest degradation due to myriad socioeconomic and institutional reasons. Since the region is part of the Mesoamerican biodiversity hotspot, biodiversity conservation becomes an even greater priority. Dr. Alavalapati, ECPA Fellow from Virginia Tech, traveled to Belmopan, Belize, on November 6-8, 2012 to host the Forum “Building Capacities for Sustainable […]

In Peru, the Peace Corps, Trees, Water & People and PowerMundo are collaborating to implement the ECPA-supported initiative, “Improving Access to Clean Energy in Latin America”. As part of this multi-country initiative, PowerMundo and Peace Corps are working with Peruvians to provide light and clean energy in rural communities, thereby creating a new market niche […]