Through US-AEP�s State Environmental Initiative (SEI), the state of Hawaii continues to promote energy efficiency with partners in the Philippines. As announced in the July 13 UPDATE, this project commenced in June with an energy workshop in Manila. Since then, the project�s U.S. partner�the state of Hawaii�s Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism�held an August workshop on electricity performance contracting for representatives of the Filipino partner group, the Philippines Department of Energy. Plans are being finalized for a February 1-2, 1999, workshop in Hawaii, which will enable Filipino attendees to hear from policy experts on how to widen commercial application of advanced energy efficiency technologies. During this event, participants will work together to draft policy mechanisms for use in the Philippines. (Note: US-AEP�s State Environmental Initiative is managed by the Council of State Governments.)

US-AEP is also promoting energy efficiency in Hong Kong. As noted in the September 14 UPDATE, US-AEP�s Environmental Exchange Program enabled two representatives of the Hong Kong Productivity Council to gain hands-on experience in energy performance contracting through a month-long exchange with Energy Masters Corporation, a Kansas firm.

US-AEP�s Office of Technology Cooperation in Seoul, Korea, recently helped to secure an agent-distributor agreement for Environmental Process Systems (EPS) of Matthews, North Carolina. The U.S. company stands to gain an initial amount of $400,000 in new export sales through this partnership.

US-AEP counseling by Technology Representative Chi-Sun Lee enabled EPS to identify and forge a partnership with Korean partner Shinsung Cenic, whose name has now been changed to EPS/Korea. Specializing in drinking water and wastewater clean-up solutions�particularly remediation of nonsoluble oil in wastewater�EPS�s technology is in demand in Korea, where environmental regulations now require the installation of wastewater treatment systems at car-washing facilities. Since more than 10,000 car washes are located across the country, according to 1997 Ministry of Environment figures, EPS�s technology is especially marketable in this sector. In addition, the U.S. company�s technology is "easy to install, maintain, and operate, and is price-competitive with existing technology in Korea," according to US-AEP�s Office of Technology Cooperation/Korea. EPS/Korea is currently working at LG Chemical Co, Ltd.�s manufacturing facility in Ulsan, Korea, to remove carbon from the plant�s wastewater.

As in years past, US-AEP�s Overseas Program Fund (OPF) is bringing a delegation of Asians to the Water Environment Federation (WEF) annual conference. The National Association of State Development Agencies (NASDA)�administrator of the OPF�will play an important role at the October 4-7 event in Orlando, Florida. With NASDA�s coordination, more than 150 delegates from nine Asian countries (Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand) will participate in approximately 300 one-on-one meetings with U.S. companies, as well as two half-day technical site tours to two regional water reclamation facilities. With more than 15,000 water quality and wastewater treatment professionals participating at the conference, WEFTEC `98 is expected to offer significant business opportunities to both U.S. and Asian firms.