The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and Statoil, a leading international energy company in oil and gas production, will work together to examine the feasibility of common projects to promote sustainable energy access and industry in developing countries.
An agreement on this was signed in Vienna by UNIDO Director-General, Kandeh K. Yumkella, and Statoil Project Manager for Renewable Energy, Sjur Haugen.
“We agreed to closely cooperate and consult one another on matters and geographical areas of mutual interest in order to achieve common objectives. These objectives include creating sustainable energy access and industry in developing countries based primarily on local biomass and natural gas resources,” said Yumkella.
The geographical scope should include countries of mutual interest in Sub-Saharan Africa, Central- and South-America.
The mutual interest will be based on, inter alia, UNIDO capacity and capability, Statoil presence, national gas reserves, potential for biofuel feedstock production, political stability, export potential and other relevant factors.
“Statoil is proud to be part of the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Group on Energy and Climate Change (AGECC) and be able to give our inputs on the important agenda of the UN community within the field of energy,” said Sjur Haugen.
“By signing this document, we have agreed to explore the possibilities of setting up a Private-Public Partnership with UNIDO. If proven economic and environmentally sustainable, the industrial concept we have agreed to investigate could represent a tangible improvement in the everyday life of those benefiting from its results.”
Haugen underlined though, that “this cannot be the single responsibility of a company like Statoil alone. However, by taking a first step, we hope to encourage others to join us in the endeavour of bringing clean energy to those who do not enjoy what most of us in the developed world take for granted.”
Both sides noted that creating attractive industrial development projects with sufficient economic potential would motivate potential third-party investors.
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Source: UNIDO, February 15, 2011;