by Brianna Crandall — April 18, 2011—U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Steven Chu joined energy ministers and high-level representatives from more than 20 governments on April 6 and 7, pledging renewed support for 11 international clean energy initiatives at the second Clean Energy Ministerial in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. These initiatives are helping accelerate the global transition to a clean energy future, with the goal of eliminating the need to build more than 500 mid-size power plants worldwide in the next 20 years, among other goals.
The Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM), first launched in July 2010, aims to promote economic growth while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants, support renewable energy markets, expand access to clean energy resources and jobs, and promote women’s leadership in clean energy careers. Participating countries account for 80 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and more than 70 percent of global gross domestic product. They also fund the vast majority of public research and development in clean energy technologies.
The group’s Global Energy Efficiency Challenge encompasses several energy efficiency initiatives, such as the Super-efficient Equipment and Appliance Deployment (SEAD), which expands global markets for efficient products in CEM countries both by incentivizing the deployment of super-efficient equipment and appliances and by facilitating stronger, more effective minimum standards. SEAD partners have identified six product categories (commercial refrigeration, computers, distribution transformers, solid-state lighting, motors, and televisions) and one energy-use mode (network standby) as areas for expanded technical exchanges to improve efficiency.
Secretary Chu and other ministers also launched the Clean Energy Solutions Center to help countries strengthen their clean energy policies and program development, with the goal of accelerating the deployment of low-carbon technologies. The Solutions Center provides information on emerging policy trends and identifies opportunities for international policy coordination, supplemented by peer-to-peer learning, remote expert assistance, and online training.
Ministers also launched Superefficient.org, a Web portal to facilitate international information exchange and serve as a resource for policymakers seeking to advance appliance and equipment efficiency. In addition, DOE announced the United States will join two other countries in a new Cool Roofs Working Group to promote the expansion of cool roofs through pilot projects, best practices and updated building codes. The United States will also join the Sustainable Development of Hydropower initiative.
