The Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and the National Development and Reform Commission of China (NDRC) jointly held a press conference on November 12th, 2007 to issue The International S&T Cooperation Program on New and Renewable Energy (hereinafter referred to as The Program). It is a major program formulated by the Chinese Government with a view to speeding up the industrial development of new and renewable energy. The Program has great bearing on the energy restructuring, energy security, energy efficiency, greenhouse gas emission reduction, low-carbon economy, and sustainable development. Vice Minister SHANG Yong and Vice Minister CAO Jianlin of Science and Technology, and Director-General XU Qin of the Department of Hi-tech Industry, NDRC were present at the conference.
The Program follows the tenets of “mutual benefits, IPR protection, sharing of advanced technologies, integration of strength, and innovation in technology”. It is expected to give impetus to international collaboration in new and renewable energy, to solve the outstanding problems in energy application, to enhance the innovation strength in new and renewable energy, to develop energy technology with proprietary IPR, and to encourage the participation of the international community and the sharing of achievements.
The Program gives priority to five areas, i.e. solar power generation and building-integrated solar energy, biomass fuels and biomass power generation, wind power generation, hydrogen energy and fuel cells, gas hydrates, etc.
The Program also identifies six major tasks, i.e. basic research, commercialization demonstrations, scale application, “go-out” strategy, international exchanges, and nuturing high-caliber professionals. The international cooperation could facilitate China’s efforts to introduce advanced technology, innovate in energy technology, develop the innovation system of energy technologies, and set up a batch of demonstration projects of industrialization so as to meet the strategic goal of developing new and renewable energy.
Specific projects will be selected and approved according to the above priorities and tasks. Therefore, the chosen projects should be based on sound cooperation with foreign counterparts through cooperation agreement or letter of intent. The overseas partners, with advanced technologies and R&D capacity, are supposed to provide various resources during the cooperation process, including capital, techniques, facilities and equipments, professionals as well as information and documents.
To ensure the substantial and steady progress of The Program, China will make joint efforts with the international community from the aspects of resources, technology, finance and policies. The government will play a major role in the international cooperation not only by policies and regulations, but also by increased input.
The interaction with the international community will highlight key areas and help introduce advanced technologies, core technologies in particular. Given China’s vast territory, unbalanced distribution of resources, and the to-be-improved market mechanism, the Government will step up macromanagement, lower the cost through expanding scale so as to bring order to the development of new energy.
MOST and NDRC will set up a Steering Committee on International Cooepration by coordinating other government bodies, international organizations and prestigious research institutions to guarantee the smooth implementation of the Program. Worldwide invitations will be sent to senior experts to establish an Expert Consultation Committee，which could provide the Steering Committee with suggestions on priority fields, major tasks, and cooperation patterns of the Program. Special funds will be arranged for the launch of The Program with a view to attracting financial input from foreign governments and international organizations. Equal attention will be given to soliciting capital from the business sector, especially the international energy giants.
