China, U.S. clean energy cooperation offers opportunities: U.S. Energy Secretary

The sharing of clean energy technologies by the United States and China will bring great opportunities in developing sustainable energies, said U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu Wednesday, Xinhua reported. ? ? “The sharing of technologies is a very natural thing because of the large scale development in China,” Chu told the press in Beijing. ? ? The U.S. saw an opportunity to help with developing new technologies with China. ? ? Chu is in China for the annual meeting of the steering committee of a Sino-U.S. Clean Energy Research Center (CERC), which was officially launched Sunday. ? ? First announced by Chinese President Hu Jintao and his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama in November last year, the center aims to facilitate joint research and development of clean energy technologies by teams of scientists and engineers from the two countries. ? ? The three initial CERC consortia encompass clean coal, clean vehicles and energy efficient building technologies. ? ? “The clean energy research center is only one starter step. This, by the way, is one of the largest research collaborations between the two countries. It starts with 150 million dollars split in half by our two countries and it also includes private sector investments, but that’s just the beginning,” he said. ? ? The Chinese leadership wanted to build infrastructure in the most energy efficient and cost effective way possible to strengthen the economy and minimize increasing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions, he said. ? ? The United States was also trying to rebuild its infrastructure built “a while ago,” so the two countries’ interests were “incredibly aligned.” ? ? He said the United States would benefit from the combined efforts to transmit and distribute power more efficiently and more reliably. ? ? “China is closing down some of its old and inefficient coal-burning power plants. In addition to that, China is also diversifying its energy supplies,” he said. ? ? “These wonderful things are showing China’s commitment towards clean energy future. The United States is equally committed in moving towards a sustainable energy future,” he said. ? ? He also said business investment in clean energy was welcomed in the United States as it could create jobs for Americans.