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Consolidating China-US S&T Cooperation in Clean Energy

Dr. WAN Gang

Minister of Science and Technology, China

Distinguished delegates,

The Chinese government puts energy issue high on the agenda of overall S&T development plan, determined to tackle energy and environment challenges through S&T progress and international cooperation.  The priority is given to clean energy and energy conservation technologies.  We place emphasis not only on clean and efficient use of fossil energy, but also on low-cost renewable energy, advanced nuclear energy and energy conservation applied in industry, construction and transportation.

It is believed by the Chinese side that China and the US boast great potential in energy cooperation. We have witnessed collaboration under multilateral frameworks such as International Partnership for the Hydrogen Economy (IPHE), Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum (CSLF), Generation IV International Forum (GIF) and International Thermonuclear Experiment Reactor (ITER).  Ever since 2006, our two countries have initiated consultation on China’s participation in the Government Steering Committee (GSC) of FutureGen.  Under the China-U.S. Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation, the Ministry of Science and Technology of China and U.S. Department of Energy signed Fossil Energy Protocol, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Protocol and Protocol for Cooperation in Clean Energy Technologies for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing.  Collaboration has been carried out in areas of power system, clean fuel, oil and natural gas, energy and environment, climate change, energy efficiency, renewable energy, electric and hybrid vehicles as well as hydrogen energy.  These ongoing efforts have laid solid foundation for further cooperation.  We have also noticed that the US government approved the Energy Policy Act in 2005 and the Advanced Energy Initiative in 2006.  These are similar to priorities identified by the Chinese government in the Outline of National Medium and Long-term Science and Technology Development Plan (2006-2020) issued in 2006 and the 11th Five-Year Plan.  Taking into consideration the common interest in energy, we should encourage and underpin enterprises, research institutes and universities to deepen collaboration.  The government has a bigger role to play in research and development of energy technology, since it bears pre-competition technology related to public good.  The S&T cooperation in energy often leads to the economic and trade collaboration.  To intensify the bilateral ties in energy R&D, I’d like to make proposals as follows:


I. To discuss the possibility of establishing a joint funding mechanism for energy cooperation and finance major programs such as joint R&D, technology demonstration, application and commercialization.  I would like to propose to launch the following programs:

i. To invite US expert teams to provide technology consultancy, training on operation and maintenance, and engineering evaluation pertinent to China’s IGCC demonstration plants;

ii. To initiate joint research on pollutant control technologies such as NOx, SO2, mercury and M2.5 particles in conventional coal-fired power generation, as well as joint projects relates to CO2 separation, sequestration and utilization.

iii. The two governments could provide joint funding for pilot demonstration of cellulosic ethanol production and the direct liquefaction of a variety of biomass raw materials.

iv. To jointly build MW-scale solar thermal demonstration power plants.

v. To collaborate in hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, including research and demonstration of hydrogen production, generation, storage and fuel cell vehicles in Beijing and Shanghai.

II. The two governments should jointly frame preferential policies and incentive measures so as to encourage technology transfer in energy.

I have every reason to believe that S&T cooperation in energy could become a breakthrough for bilateral S&T ties and an incentive for a new stage of energy collaboration.

Thank you.