RAMALLAH, January 20, 2010 (WAFA)- U.S. Consul General in Jerusalem Daniel Rubinstein and President of MENA Geothermal Ground Energy and Investment Company Ltd. (MENA) Khaled Sabawi,, signed Wednesday a grant agreement today from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) in support of a district geothermal heating and cooling system for a planned 500-unit affordable housing complex near Ramallah. 

In a press release the U.S. Consulate said the $438,612 grant will study the feasibility of applying geothermal technology on a massive scale, potentially reducing the entire development’s energy consumption by up to 70% and significantly reducing CO₂ emissions.

Speaking at the grant signing, the Consul General stressed the importance of encouraging private sector development in the Palestinian Territories, and expressed hope that the USTDA grant would help encourage U.S.-Palestinian business partnerships, foster the development of renewable energy in the region, and support efforts to provide affordable housing in the West Bank.

Khaled Sabawi noted that sustainable urban development and energy efficiency have become a necessity for affordable living in the Palestinian Territories. True affordable housing can only be achieved through the reduction of annual operating costs, and geothermal heating and cooling can reduce a home’s energy bills by up to 70%.

 USTDA is an independent U.S. Government foreign assistance agency that aims to advance economic development in developing and middle-income countries by providing access to U.S. technology and expertise.  USTDA provides grant funding for capacity building and the planning of projects that support the development of modern infrastructure and an open trading system. 

In addition to the MENA Geothermal project, USTDA projects in the Palestinian Territory include an Internet data center feasibility study, a WiMax technical assistance grant, funding for an orientation visit by marble and stone companies to the United States, and support for the 2008 Palestine Investment Conference in Bethlehem.