The project was funded through the US-Department of State  Citizen Exchange Program fund and was directed to build the REERU human capacity in issues regarding Energy Efficiency, Solar energy System Testing (Laboratories and Certification), Energy Auditing in Households and Commercial buildings, Testing PV panels in Solar Simulator Labs, etc. The project was a fruitful cooperation among universities and research centers in the USA (University of Oregon, NEEI, University of Central Florida  Florida Solar Energy Center), the American University of Beirut, the Jordan University of Science and Technology, Birzeit University, and later Damascus University and King Fahed University of Saudi Arabia.

A steering committee was formed in which REERU is represented as the Palestinian focal point.

The PES was held in March 2000 in cooperation with Palestinian Ministry of Environment, Heinrich Boel Foundation, UNDP/PAPP, and Palestinian Council of Health PCH. It was a regional gathering where more that 60 papers discussing issues related to environmental sciences and technology, awareness and policies, and legislations were presented. (download conference abstracts proceedings