World Leaders Discuss Global Transition to Clean Energy

Technology neutral standards, financing, harmonization of policies across countries…these were some of the suggestions made by panelists attending the July 19, 2010, Clean Energy Ministerial Stakeholder Meeting in Washington, D.C. 

Hosted by the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE), the Alliance and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the meeting brought together leaders from technology companies, financial and professional services, academia, associations and nonprofit organization to discuss policies to accelerate the worldwide deployment of energy efficiency and renewable energy. 

The meeting, which addressed the topics of renewable energy, energy efficiency, smart buildings and smart grid technologies, markets and policies, was designed to inform the energy ministers and stakeholders attending the two-day Clean Energy Ministerial government meeting hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Business Leaders Speak in Support of Energy Efficiency

Two Alliance Associates – Whirlpool and Danfoss – were among the ten companies serving as supporters of the event.  Alliance Board member Dave Szczupack, the executive vice president for global product organization at Whirlpool, moderated the “Energy Efficiency in End-Use Sectors” panel. He was joined by Robert Wilkins, president, North America, Danfoss; Jim McClendon, director of engineering, Wal-Mart; and Jonathan Maxwell, CEO, Sustainable Development Capital LLP. 

The stakeholder meeting attendees also heard from Danish Minister of Climate and Energy Lykke Friis and Spanish Secretary of State for Energy Pedro Marin, who reported on the discussion taking place at the closed meeting of the energy ministers.  Both remarked on the need for global action on climate, inter-governmental collaboration on clean energy and policies that mobilize private capital.

The stakeholder meeting was followed by a reception at the Kennedy Center keynoted by U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, Senators Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) and John Kerry (D-Mass.), and Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change Carol Browner. 

Laying the Groundwork for Clean Energy

During the second day of the Clean Energy Ministerial, ministers from 24 participating governments launched 11 new initiatives to accelerate the global transition to clean energy. 
These initiatives will avoid the need to build more than 500 mid-sized power plants in the next 20 years, promote the rapid deployment of electric vehicles, support the growing global market for renewable energy and carbon capture technologies, bring solar lanterns or other improved energy services to more than 10 million people without access to grid electricity by 2015, and help encourage women to pursue careers in clean energy.

In particular, governments launched five initiatives as part of a Global Energy Efficiency Challenge to help cut energy waste around the world.  These include:

• The Super-efficient Equipment and Appliance Deployment initiative, designed to transform the market for energy-using equipment and appliances;
• The Global Superior Energy Performance Partnership, which aims to reduce energy use in large buildings and industrialized facilities through an internationally-recognized certification program; 
• The International Smart Grid Action Network, to help accelerate the development and deployment of smart electricity grids around the world through high-level government dialogue, sharing of best practices, technical assistance, peer review and
• project coordination;
• The Electric Vehicle Initiative, to assist countries in delivering on their respective electric vehicle deployment targets through sister-city partnerships, cooperation to develop key technologies, and dialogue to identify and encourage best-practice deployment strategies; and,
• The Clean Energy Solutions Centers, to help governments of developing countries drive transformational low-carbon technologies by serving as a clearinghouse for policy information.
  At the end of the meeting, the United Arab Emirates offered to host the second Clean Energy ministerial in spring 2011.  The United Kingdom offered to host the third ministerial at a date to be determined.