In 2021 every $1 USTDA invested in its programs generated a record $117 in U.S. exports. USTDA has facilitated more than $76 billion in U.S. exports since its founding in 1992, supporting 4,000 infrastructure activities in 139 countries.
Arlington, VA – The U.S. Trade and Development Agency has awarded a technical assistance grant to the Dominican Republic’s Superintendent of Electricity (SIE) that will facilitate the growth of renewable power generation in the country. USTDA’s grant will help create enabling regulations for battery energy storage systems to maintain the stability of the country’s power grid as new wind and solar power plants are built. USTDA and SIE announced their collaboration during the COP26 summit.
“Across the Caribbean, USTDA is supporting the development of climate-smart infrastructure solutions to strengthen the region’s resilience to climate change,” said Ambassador Vinai Thummalapally (ret.), USTDA’s Acting Director. “Our partnership with the Dominican Republic will allow them to craft regulations that facilitate the reliability of their power infrastructure, while opening the country to renewable energy solutions that U.S. companies are prepared to supply.”
USTDA’s technical assistance will include a market analysis of the demand for battery energy storage systems technologies, a review of existing regulations and an in-depth gap analysis. Through this analysis, new technical and financial regulations will be recommended to support the deployment of battery energy storage systems throughout the Dominican Republic’s power system.
“This technical assistance, which will enable the implementation of energy storage technology in the country, will help address the regulatory gaps present in current regulations and will provide the necessary recommendations for technical and financial regulations,” said Superintendent of Electricity Rafael Velazco. “As a result, this intelligent method of energy storage and management will enable more productive electricity, better grid management, and greater stability and availability of service.”
This activity supports the Biden Administration’s Small and Less Populous Island Economies Initiative, an economic cooperation framework designed to strengthen U.S. collaboration with island countries and territories in the Caribbean, North Atlantic and Pacific regions. It also supports USTDA’s Global Partnership for Climate-Smart Infrastructure, which connects U.S. industry to major clean energy and transportation infrastructure projects in emerging markets.
U.S. businesses interested in submitting proposals for the USTDA-funded technical assistance should visit www.ustda.gov/work/bid-on-an-overseas-project.
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The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority infrastructure projects in emerging economies. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.
MEDIA INQUIRIES: Paul Marin | (703) 875-4357
Arlington, VA – Today, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency announced grant funding for a feasibility study supporting the West African Power Pool’s (WAPP) efforts to expand electricity access across the region through new power transmission infrastructure.
“USTDA shares the West African Power Pool’s vision of a unified electricity market that provides reliable and affordable power to the region’s consumers,” said Amb. Vinai Thummalapally (ret.), USTDA’s Acting Director. “Our contribution will help create a new transmission line and integrate renewable energy into a more modern and reliable regional grid. We are eager to link U.S. companies to the commercial opportunities that this project will present.”
The USTDA-funded study will evaluate the technical and economic viability of constructing a 400-mile 225 kV transmission line, including associated substation and distribution equipment, from Côte d’Ivoire to Liberia. The study will also include recommendations on the potential institutional and commercial framework for the project and the preparation of bidding documents.
USTDA’s partner, WAPP, is a specialized regional institution of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). It is comprised of 38 public and private power generation, transmission, distribution, and marketing companies that are responsible for coordinating the interconnection of the power grids in the West Africa region.
WAPP Secretary General, Mr. Siengui A. Ki, said: “The WAPP Secretariat is quite excited to execute this novel partnership with USTDA. Together, we will significantly improve access to affordable climate-friendly electricity to the ECOWAS citizenry in Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia and beyond. This will create new opportunities to improve their quality of life.”
This project advances the Biden-Harris Administration’s Build Back Better World partnership. It also supports the U.S. government’s Power Africa and Prosper Africa initiatives, in addition to advancing the goals of USTDA’s Global Partnership for Climate-Smart Infrastructure, which connects U.S. industry to major clean transportation and energy infrastructure projects in emerging markets.
U.S. businesses interested in submitting proposals for the USTDA-funded feasibility study should visit www.ustda.gov/work/bid-on-an-overseas-project.
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The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority infrastructure projects in emerging economies. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.
MEDIA INQUIRIES: Paul Marin | (703) 875-4357
Photograph courtesy of the West African Power Pool.
Arlington, VA – Today, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency announced grant funding for a feasibility study to help Nigerian company Ekovolt Telco Limited expand internet access for underserved communities in the Niger Delta region. The study will include a pilot project to test fixed wireless broadband technology as a solution. Ekovolt selected Georgia-based Vernonburg Group LLC to conduct the study.
“Quality internet infrastructure is critical to Nigeria’s economic growth. This is why USTDA is prioritizing partnerships with companies like Ekovolt,” said Amb. Vinai Thummalapally (ret.), USTDA’s Acting Director. “Through our Access Africa initiative, USTDA is connecting high-quality U.S. solutions to support the deployment of critical broadband infrastructure in Nigeria and communities all across Africa.”
USTDA’s study will assess market demand and determine the technical and commercial viability of expanding last-mile fixed wireless broadband access across nine states in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region. The study will also include a test deployment of Motorola’s 4G LTE technology as a potential solution for expanding connectivity for up to 550,000 users.
“We are excited to partner with USTDA to create a more inclusive digital economy in the Niger-Delta region,” said Emeka Ebo, Ekovolt’s Managing Director. “This partnership and collaboration with U.S. technology companies including Motorola provides the platform to adopt, test and deploy innovative wireless technologies. This will help us promote local digital solutions that improve access to healthcare, literacy and commerce.”
This project advances the Biden-Harris Administration’s Build Back Better World partnership. It also supports Access Africa, USTDA’s initiative to advance the development of inclusive, secure, and sustainable ICT infrastructure across Africa, and the U.S. government’s Prosper Africa initiative to substantially increase two-way trade and investment between the U.S. and Africa.
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The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority infrastructure projects in emerging economies. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.
MEDIA INQUIRIES: Paul Marin | (703) 875-4357
Arlington, VA – Today, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency announced a call for initial proposals to advance aviation sector infrastructure across Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands. Under its U.S.-Southeast Asia Aviation Cooperation Program (SEA ACP), USTDA is seeking initial proposals for feasibility studies, technical assistance, pilot projects and expert training for its grant funding support. USTDA Acting Director Ambassador Vinai Thummalapally (ret.) made the announcement during the 2021 Indo-Pacific Business Forum.
“Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands want the best for their aviation sectors, which is why USTDA has issued this call for proposals,” said Thummalapally. “U.S. companies offer the most innovative solutions to the challenges facing the global aviation sector. We are looking for new approaches to facilitate passenger and cargo traffic in response to COVID-19. Ultimately, we wish to support aviation sector growth across the Indo-Pacific region in an impactful and sustainable manner.”
Eligible markets for USTDA grant funding support include Fiji, Indonesia, Kiribati, Laos, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Niue, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Vietnam.
The SEA ACP is a public-private partnership that works with aviation stakeholders in Southeast Asia to design programs that promote technical, policy and commercial cooperation in civil aviation. SEA ACP is industry-led and government-supported, with cooperation from USTDA, U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, Transportation Security Administration and U.S. Department of Commerce.
USTDA will accept initial proposals through Monday, January 10, 2022, at 5:00 PM EST. Initial proposal requirements can be found here. Entities are invited to submit an initial proposal for civil aviation projects to USTDA, at seaacp@ustda.gov.
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The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority infrastructure projects in emerging economies. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.
MEDIA INQUIRIES: Paul Marin | (703) 875-4357
Arlington, VA – During today’s Indo-Pacific Business Forum, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency announced it has awarded a grant to help Vietnam’s Ecotek Corporation transform its Ecopark Township into a cutting-edge smart and sustainable city. The USTDA grant will fund technical assistance to develop a roadmap for optimizing Ecopark’s smart city infrastructure. Ecotek Corporation selected Connecticut-based Information Services Group to carry out the assistance.
“USTDA is proud to facilitate the growth of Ecopark Township into a thriving urban area that is smart from the start,” said Ambassador Vinai Thummalapally (ret.), USTDA’s Acting Director. “Our support for reliable, climate-smart infrastructure will help set Ecopark as the regional standard for sustainable urban living, using American technology.”
USTDA’s grant will help Ecotek Corporation define technical specifications and develop a technology plan for smart city infrastructure in Ecopark, an eco-friendly community outside of Hanoi. The proposed infrastructure will support a variety of assets – including smart buildings, intelligent lighting and smart irrigation – which will improve efficiency and resiliency while reducing operational costs for the community.
“Ecopark will improve the quality of life for the thousands of people who live there, using the latest technological innovations that will set the standard for smart cities in Vietnam,” said Nguyen Ngoc Bao Lam, Ecotek Chief Executive Officer. “Our partnership with USTDA will enable us to anticipate the demands of the future so that we can enhance and optimize urban life within Ecopark for all of its citizens in an environmentally sustainable way, for many years to come. We look forward to deploying this model across Vietnam.”
The project is aligned with USTDA’s Global Partnership for Climate-Smart Infrastructure, an initiative launched by President Biden at the Leaders’ Summit on Climate in April 2021, and supports expanding engagements in the region under the Indo-Pacific Business Forum.
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The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority infrastructure projects in emerging economies. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.
MEDIA INQUIRIES: Paul Marin | (703) 875-4357
USTDA Generates Record Results for U.S. Exporters
