Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Signed the Memorandum of Understanding at the First U.S.-China Energy Efficiency Forum
[26 May, 2010] On May 26, 2010, the First U.S.-China Energy Efficiency Forum was held in Beijing, joined by more than 200 participants from governmental agencies, research institutions and industry of both the United States and China. Zhang Xiaoqiang, Vice Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and David Sandalow, Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy attended the forum and gave keynote speeches at the opening ceremony. Steve Chu, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy congratulated the opening of the forum via a video. Jon Huntsman, U.S. Ambassador to China and Jon Wellinghoff, Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission attended the opening ceremony as well.
During the forum, U.S. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, signed the Memorandum of Understanding Concerning the University Alliance for Industrial Energy Efficiency Collaboration with University of Science and Technology Beijing.
Zhang Xiaoqiang, Vice Chairman of NDRC, pointed out during his keynote speech that strengthening the collaboration between the U.S. and China in the field of energy and environment is a mutual need to ensure energy security, address climate change, and promote sustainable development. This is on the same direction of building a positive, collaborative and comprehensive relationship with joint efforts between the two countries in the 21st century. The United States has advanced energy-saving technologies and management experiences. China is now striving to increase her energy-efficiency level and owns a huge market. Two countries are highly complementary. Strengthening energy-efficiency collaboration between the U.S. and China has great potential and broad prospects. The first U.S.-China Energy Efficiency Forum is an important activity of implementing the Energy Efficiency Action Plan in the U.S.-China Ten-Year Framework for Cooperation on Energy and Environment. It means significantly in implementing the results of the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue and promoting the concrete collaborations in energy conservation and environmental protection between both countries.
David Sandalow, Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy noted in his speech that on the issues of sustainable development, development of clean energy and coping climate change, the United States and China should conform to the expectations of the international community and take the leadership together. Strengthening the energy efficiency collaborations will push the U.S.-China bilateral relations to a positive direction at a further degree. He also encouraged local governments and scientific research institutes in both countries to actively participate in the energy-efficiency collaborations.
The plenary session of the forum focused on energy-efficiency policies, measures and progress in both U.S. and China. Then, the forum had four separate sessions on building energy efficiency, industrial energy efficiency, end-use products energy efficiency and mechanisms of energy saving service market. Participants of the forum deeply explored and discussed U.S. and China’s successful case studies, best practices and collaborating opportunities in each of the four areas.
