The US Department of Commerce’s SABIT (Special American Business Internship Training) Program financed a study tour/training program focused on Renewable Alternative Energy Sources. The program was from May 11, 2002 to May 31, 2002. Seventeen (17) participants visited the US from the Russian Far East (RFE) cities of Anadyr-Chukhotka, Chita, Magadan, Khabarovsk, Vladivostok, and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. Some of these Russian cities are actively considering investing in renewable/alternative sources of energy as a backup for schools, hospitals and for the new oil/gas pipeline in Sakhalinsk. Management Strategies, Inc., (MSI) provided a focus for the study tour and organized the technical education, site visits and logistics.

Objective:
The objective of the training program was to expose the RFE Group to state-of-the-art technologies and to facilitate business relations between US and Russian Companies.

Description:
This program was designed as a study tour/training program with business roundtables, business plan preparation training, site visits to manufacturing facilities, and laboratory visits with the leading American businesses and scientific institutions involved in Renewable/Alternative technologies manufacture and implementation. These were, Capstone Microturbine, GE Wind Energy, Harris Hydro, NRG Energy, Great River Energy, NREL, NFCRC, etc.
Program participants met exporters, manufacturers and service providers in renewable/alternative technologies such as wind, biogas/biomass, geothermal, fuel-cell (emerging technologies), mini-hydro, photo-voltaic, hybrid systems integrators, reuse technologies, new generation district heating systems and controls, etc. The participants learned about conversion analysis, redundant systems, and net metering equipment. In addition, companies provided training on development of regulations and financing options for development projects.
The US Hosts provided training in their technology and how to integrate the technology in existing systems, corporate philosophy and structure, marketing management, public-private partnerships, corporate social responsibility and environmental impacts of RAES technologies.

Opportunity:
This program created a unique opportunity to market face-to-face and make contacts without flying to Russia. The RFE Group included General Directors, Public Utility CEOs, Small Business Owners, and Government Officials to visit the US and meet directly with American Business leaders and scientists.

View RAES Tour pictures.

This program was rated 1.32 on a scale of 1 - 5 where "1" was "excellent" and "5" was "poor".