Investing in Sustainable Energy Options in Ukraine via the Kyoto Protocol
This webcasted panel discussion will examine opportunities for U.S. businesses and others to invest in energy efficient and renewable energy projects in Ukraine using the mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol. The panelists will review opportunities for reducing energy waste in Ukraine’s major end-use energy sectors as well as the status and near-term potential for developing Ukraine’s solar, wind, biomass/biofuels, small hydro, geothermal, and coal-mine methane resources.
Panelists- Brian Castelli – Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Alliance to Save Energy
- John Palmisano – Chairman, IE3
- Rich Rosenzweig – Chief Operating Officer, Natsource
- Ken Bossong – Co-Director, Ukrainian-American Environmental Association
(biographical information on each of the four panelists follows below)
This event, being co-sponsored by the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation and The Washington Group, will be broadcast live on-line in English.
Persons planning to attend in person should arrive by 11:50 am
- (Ukrainian Time: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm)
U.S.-Ukraine Foundation 1701 “K” Street NW Suite #903 Washington, DC 20006
TO SUBMIT QUESTIONS ON-LINE: Questions for the panelists can be e-mailed either in advance or during the discussion to [email protected]. Please type “Kyoto/Energy Panel” in the “subject” line.
TO REGISTER AND FOR MORE INFORMATION: For On-Site Attendance, RSVPs Required. Lunch will be served. Space is Limited.
RSVP by email to: [email protected].
The presentation will be broadcast live online. To register to watch online, please visit this link and follow the instructions.
Speakers:
JOHN PALMISANO Chairman, IE3
Since 1976, Mr. Palmisano has:
- Created 3 emissions brokerage and 1 emissions trading businesses, including the first emissions brokerage firm, AER*X
- Advised the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on developing a “green” exchange
- Consulted to trade associations, the US EPA, the United Nations, the World Bank, US Congress, the Russian government, the Ukrainian government, the Canadian government and many US and international companies on both emissions trading matters and developing “green” energy projects and policies
- Helped create three “green” NGOs that focus on promoting emissions trading—one in Russia, one in Ukraine, and one in the United States
- Established emission brokerage offices and representatives in Moscow, Kiev, Hong Kong, London, and Washington DC
- Brokered more than 70 emission trades
- Served as an expert witness in public utility commission and legal proceedings
- Managed the air pollution control program in California for an engineering company
- Developed several major environmental policies while working at US EPA
Mr. Palmisano’s immersion into emissions trading began when he was a manager at the United States Environmental Protection Agency where he developed regulatory reforms dealing with air and water pollution control. He received U.S. EPA’s Gold Medal for his work on emissions trading.
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BRIAN CASTELLI Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Alliance to Save Energy
Brian T. Castelli is the executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Alliance to Save Energy. He has 30 years of national and international experience in the energy field, including expertise in energy efficiency, renewables, emission reductions, and electricity demand reduction.
Prior to joining the Alliance in July 2005, Castelli ran his own energy consulting firm. There he was the federal energy liaison for the California Energy Commission; a principal with the Center for Energy and Climate Solutions, and a consultant to both the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO).
As a presidential appointee, Castelli served as chief of staff to the U.S. Department of Energy’s assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewable energy from 1994 to 2001. He managed 550 staff and more than $1 billion in programs and research, development, and deployment initiatives and directed the development and implementation of energy policies and programs.
Castelli also led and participated in missions to Western Hemisphere, European, and former Soviet Union countries and was also deeply involved in developing energy-efficiency measures for the eventual closure of the nuclear reactors in Chornobyl, Ukraine.
Prior to DOE, Castelli was appointed in 1988 by Gov. Bob Casey to the Pennsylvania Energy Office (PEO), for three years as deputy director for administration and public affairs and then as executive director, through 1994. As executive director he ran the commonwealth’s energy policies and programs, managed the state energy office and the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority, and took the lead on responding to energy emergencies.
Notably, he developed a revolving loan fund for energy-efficiency measures and a “Green Buildings” program for cutting energy use and costs in all commonwealth-owned or operated buildings, and he drafted legislation for and implemented an alternative fuel program.
Earlier in his career, Castelli was vice president of finance for The National Center for Appropriate Technology; senior vice president and cofounder of CEXEC; and financial analyst with the Federal Energy Administration. He has authored many articles, studies, and reports on energy-related issues, served on various boards of directors, and made presentations in many state, national, and international forums and conferences.
Castelli holds two degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, a bachelor of science in chemical engineering and an MBA in industrial/environmental management from the university’s Wharton School.
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RICH ROSENZWEIG Chief Operating Officer, Natsource
Richard Rosenzweig, Chief Operating Officer of Natsource (Washington, DC), is responsible for the company’s global Advisory Services and Research business unit. He provides services to private firms, investment funds, governments, and international financial institutions on all aspects of climate change and renewable energy, including risk assessment and management, market entry strategies, trading system design, domestic policy development and international negotiations. Mr. Rosenzweig has extensive experience in all aspects of emissions trading and risk management. He represented several companies in the design of the U.S. Acid Rain and NOx SIP Call Programs. Mr. Rosenzweig was involved in the first transaction of UK and Danish greenhouse gas allowances. He joined Natsource from the Washington law firm of Van Ness Feldman, where he was Principal.
Mr. Rosenzweig served as Chief of Staff to the Secretary of Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) from 1993-1996. His national policy responsibilities included the development and coordination of DOE strategy related to global climate change. He played key roles in developing the Clinton Administration’s Climate Change Action Plan, which incorporated the first project-based mechanism to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and the Secretary of Energy’s international energy, environmental, and national security initiatives. He also helped to negotiate voluntary agreements between DOE and more than 600 electric utilities to achieve voluntary greenhouse gas reductions in the “Climate Challenge” program. Mr. Rosenzweig has written extensively on the greenhouse gas market, the impacts of trading system design, and the role of technology in addressing climate change. He has a BA degree from Northeastern University and an MS degree from American University in Political Science.
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KEN BOSSONG Co-Director, Ukrainian-American Environmental Association
A former volunteer in Ukraine with the U.S. Peace Corps (February 2000 – January 2003), Ken Bossong presently serves as the coordinator of the Sustainable Energy Coalition, a U.S. NGO comprised of 50+ U.S. business, environmental, consumer, and energy policy organizations promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.
Over the past 35 years he has served as the director of several national U.S. environmental NGOs as well as worked as a member of several organizations working on Ukrainian issues. He has degrees in law, public administration, and environmental engineering.
Most recently he was a short-term scholar at the Kennan Institute of the Woodrow Wilson Center where he conducted research on sustainable energy policies and options for Ukraine.
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Major Financial Program Support provided by:
Chopivsky Family Foundation Dmytro & Jaroslava Jarosewycz Memorial Charitable Gift Fund Heritage Foundation of First Security Federal Savings Bank (Chicago, IL) The Maria Hulai Lion Foundaton Self Reliance (NY) Federal Credit Union (New York City) Selfreliance Ukrainian American Federal Credit Union (Chicago, IL) Sutaruk Foundation
Individuals: Leonard & Helena Mazur Marta Pereyma Murray Senkus Stefan & Wolodymyra Slywotzky
FY 2009 DOE Energy & Conservation, Fossil Energy, Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability Budget
- C.H. “Bud” Albright Jr., Under Secretary of Energy
- Alexander Karsner, Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
- James Slutz, Acting Principal Deputy, Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy
- Kevin Kolevar, Director, Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability
Freeing the Grid: Overcoming Barriers to Clean Energy Generation
With prices for oil and gas higher than ever, energy independence is at the forefront of almost everyone’s mind. When your constituents ask you how they can take charge of their energy future while decreasing their monthly electric bills, what do you tell them? In some states model interconnection and net metering laws help individuals and businesses become a part of the solution, but in too many parts of the country the opportunities for renewable energy investment and green job growth are held up by nothing more than senseless policy barriers.
Representatives Jay Inslee and Roscoe Bartlett invite you to attend a briefing by the authors of “Freeing the Grid,” a report that details America’s patchwork of policies that make some states leaders in the booming renewable energy industry, while other states are left behind. You will learn how good net-metering and interconnection policies can help America develop a world-class renewable energy market, strengthen our domestic economy, protect our climate and our environment, increase electric grid stability, and reduce our dependence on costly peak energy.
Our panel of experts will also address how federal legislation, like the Home Energy Generation Act (H.R. 729) can address the problems, remove discrepancies between state policies and invigorate renewable energy deployment in your state AND throughout America.
Panelists include:- James Rose, Network for New Energy Choices (NNEC)
- Chris Cook, SunEdison
- Adam Browning, The Vote Solar Alliance
We hope that you or a member of your staff can attend, and we look forward to seeing you there. For more information, contact Liz Mustin at [email protected] or 202-225-6311.
Washington International Renewable Energy Conference
The Washington International Renewable Energy Conference (WIREC 2008) will bring together government, civil society and private business leaders to address the benefits and costs of a major and rapid scale-up in the global deployment of renewable energy technology.
WIREC Participants can expect to:- Acquire a better understanding of the benefits of large-scale renewable energy deployment on energy security, climate change, air quality and economic growth.
- Gain an appreciation of the multiple policy options and best practices that encourage and enable accelerated renewable energy up-take.
- Develop networks and find partners to explore and initiate renewable energy projects.
These three objectives will be woven into WIREC’s four cross-cutting and policy driven themes: Agriculture and Rural Development ; Technology/Research and Development ; and Market Adoption and Finance.
Monday, March 3, 2008
12:00 – 6:00 p.m. Registration and Pre-conference Meetings
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
7:30 – 8:30 a.m. Registration
8:30 – 9:00 a.m. Welcome and Introductions
- Paula Dobriansky, Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs, Department of State of the United States
- Michael Eckhart, President, American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE)
- Thomas Dorr, Chairman, Secretary’s Energy Council, Under Secretary for Rural Development, United States Department of Agriculture
9:00 – 10:30 a.m. Opening Statements
Introductions: Paula Dobriansky, Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs, United States Department of State
- Speaker: John D. Negroponte, Deputy Secretary of State, United States Department of State The Challenge and Charge to the Attendees
- Speaker: Ed Schafer, Secretary, United States Department of Agriculture
- Speaker: Michael Müller, Parliamentary State Secretary, Germany Lessons from Bonn, 2004.
- Speaker: Zhang Xiaoqiang, Vice Chairman. National Development and Reform Commission of China Lessons from Beijing, 2005.
10:30 – 11:00 a.m. Networking Coffee Break
11:00 – 12:30 p.m. Ministerial Level Plenary Session: Defining the Issues
Introductions: Hermann Scheer, Germany, General Chairman World Council for Renewable Energy
Current Trends and Issues: Renewable Energy- Speaker: Samuel Bodman, Secretary, United States Department of Energy
- Speaker: Tony Hayward, CEO, BP
- Speaker: Mohamed El-Ashry, Chairman, REN21
- Speaker: Nobuo Tanaka, Executive Director, International Energy Agency
- Speaker: Vinod Khosla, Founder and CEO, Khosla Ventures and Sun Microsystems.
12:30 – 2:15 p.m. Lunch: Ministers and Invitation Only
Host: Chuck Conner, Deputy Secretary, United States Department of Agriculture- Speaker: Dirk Kempthorne, Secretary, United States Department of Interior
- Speaker: Connie Hedegaard, Minister for Climate and Energy, Denmark
2:30 – 4:00 p.m. For the 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. period, two parallel sessions will be convened; 1) “Ministerial Session”, for Ministers only, and 2) “Stakeholder Session” for where stakeholders are identified as federal authorities not participating in the Ministerial session, local authorities not at the Federal level, private sector, and civil society. Each session will consider the economic and environmental benefits of renewable energy. Brief remarks will be offered with the objective of stimulating a meaningful and interactive dialogue among the respective session participants.
2:30 – 4:00 p.m. Concurrent Session I
Ministerial Session: The Economic and Environmental Benefits of Renewable Energy
- Co-Chair: Steve Johnson, Administrator, United States Environmental Protection Agency
- Co-Chair: Andris Piebalgs, Energy Commissioner, European Union
- Energy Security
- Climate Change
- Environment and Air Quality
- Economic Growth including Rural Development
A representative group of Ministers will each give 5 minutes of remarks and then the floor will be open.
Open Discussion2:30 – 4:00 p.m. Concurrent Session II
Stakeholder Session: The Economic and Environmental Benefits of Renewable Energy.
Chair: David Hales, President, College of the Atlantic
In this closed interactive session, the stakeholders will address the key benefits of rapid deployment of renewable energy technology including:- Energy Security
- Climate Change
- Environment and Air Quality
- Economic Growth including Rural Development
A representative individual will give 5 minutes of remarks.
- Speaker: Dieter Salomon, Lord Mayor, Freiburg, Germany
- Speaker: Corrado Clini, Chair, Global Bioenergy Partnership
- Speaker: Dan Reicher, Co-Chair of ACORE, and Director of Climate Change and Energy Initiatives, Google, Inc.
- Speaker: Lew Milford, President, Clean Energy Group (US)
- Speaker: Moekti H. Soejachmoen (Confirmed), Indonesia
- Speaker: Arthouros Zervos, President European Wind Energy Association, President European Renewable Energy Council
Open Discussion
4:00 – 4:30 p.m. Networking Coffee Break
4:30 – 6:00 p.m. Joint Ministerial-Stakeholder “Straight Talk” Session
Moderator: Hank Habicht, Vice Chairman of the Global Environment and Technology Foundation
The session will be kicked off by brief remarks by Andris Piebalgs, representing ministers and David Hales, President, College of the Atlantic representing stakeholders, who will share the results of the prior sessions. After their brief remarks the session will be open.
Open Discussion6:00 – 7:30 Optional Conference Activities Trade Show Reception Other
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
The conference format for Wednesday is that there will be parallel and concurrent ministerial level sessions throughout the entire day. In the morning there will be two plenary sessions which will run concurrently 8:00 – 9:30 a.m., one plenary focuses on the Market Adoption and Finance focal theme (Plenary A) and the other plenary focuses on the Agriculture, Forestry, and Rural Development focal theme (Plenary B). After the morning networking coffee break, there will be multiple concurrent ministerial level sessions (11:00 – 12:30 p.m.): three will focus on Market Adoption and Finance; four will focus on Agriculture, Forestry, and Rural Development, and one session on state and local authorities©.
After lunch, the Research and Development focal theme will have a plenary session (2:30 – 4:00 p.m.). The Market Adoption and Finance focal theme will go directly into three concurrent ministerial level sessions for the afternoon. State and local authorities will hold a session.
Following the afternoon networking break (4:30 – 6:00 p.m.), the Research and Development focal theme (D) will hold four concurrent direct talk sessions, the Market Adoption and Finance focal theme will continue with three concurrent sessions, and the State and local authorities will hold one session.
7:00 – 8:00 a.m. Registration
Breakfast – Third Level8:00 – 9:30 a.m. Opening Plenary, Welcome and Remarks
Plenary A Market Adoption and Finance
Co-Moderator: Gregory Manuel, Special Advisor to the Secretary of State and International Energy Coordinator, United States Department of State
Co-Moderator: Alexander “Andy” Karsner (Confirmed), Assistant Secretary Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, United States Department of Energy
- Speaker: Maud Olofsson, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Enterprise and Energy, Sweden
- Speaker: Reuben Jeffery III, Under Secretary for Economic, Energy and Agricultural Affairs, United States Department of State
- Speaker: Tim Pawlenty, Governor of Minnesota and Chair of the National Governors Association
- Speaker: Michael Liebreich, CEO, New Energy Finance Renewable Energy
Plenary B Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development
Moderator: Thomas Dorr, Chairman, Secretary’s Energy Council, Under Secretary for Rural Development, United States Department of Agriculture- Speaker: Chuck Conner, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, United States Department of Agriculture
- Speaker: Marcos Jank, President and CEO, Brazilian Sugar Cane Industry Association (UNICA)
- Speaker: Andrzej Dycha, Under Secretary of State, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Republic of Poland
- Speaker: Richard Tolman, CEO, National Corn Growers Association
- Speaker: Honorable Arthur Cua Yap, Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Republic of the Philippines
TBD Conference Keynote: George W. Bush, President of the United States
11:00 – 12:30 p.m. Concurrent Ministerial Level Sessions: Market Adoption and Finance (3); Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development (4); and State and local authorities.
11:00 – 12:30 p.m. Market Adoption and Finance Concurrent Sessions
A1. Grid-Connected Generation: Market Adoption and Deployment of New Technology Moderator: Connie Hedegaard, Minister for Climate and Energy, Denmark
Panelists:- Christine Wörlen, Deutsche Energie-Agentur GmbH (dena) – German Energy Agency
- Terry Hudgens, President and CEO, PPM Energy
- Ian Simm, Chief Executive Officer, Impax Group PLC.
- Lucien Bronicki, Founder, Chairman, and Chief Technology Officer, Ormat Technologies, Inc
Open DiscussionA2. Distributed and Off-Grid Generation: Market Adoption and Deployment of New Technology Moderator: Jeff Leonard, President and CEO, Global Environment Fund
Panelists:- Wu Guihui, Deputy Director General, Energy Bureau, National Development and Reform Commission, People’s Republic of China
- Linda Conlin, Vice Chair and First Vice President, Export Import Bank of the United States
- Gary Rieschel, Founder and Managing Director, Qiming Venture Partners
- Brian Sager, Vice President for Corporate Development, Nanosolar
Open DiscussionA3. Renewable Fuels: Market Adoption and Deployment of New Technology Moderator: Paolo Frankl, Head of Renewable Energy Unit, International Energy Agency
Panelists:- Guatam Bhandari, Executive Director, Morgan Stanley
- Kadri Nassiep, CEO, South African National Energy Research Institute
- Fernando Reinach, General Partner, Votorantim Ventures
- Steve Gatto, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, Bioenergy International
- John Plaza, President/Founder, Imperium Renewables
Open Discussion11:00 – 12:30 p.m. Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development Concurrent Ministerial Level Sessions
B1. Sustainability, Technology, and Development Moderator: Claudia McMurray, Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans, Environment and Science, United States Department of State
Panelists:- Juan Pablo Bonilla, Sustainable Energy and Climate Change Initiative Coordinator, Inter-American Development Bank
- Prodipto Ghosh, Senior Advisor to Prime Minister of India and Distinguished Fellow, The Energy and Resources Institute
- William D. Dar, Director General of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics
- Rashmi S. Nair, Team Lead, Regulatory Product Characterization & Global Scientific Affairs, The Monsanto Company
- Manoel Vincente Bertone, Secretary for Production and Agro Energy, Ministry of Agriculture, Brazil
Open DiscussionB2. Rural and Economic Development Moderator: James R. Kunder, Deputy Administrator, United States Agency for International Development
Panelists:- Jamal Saghir, Director for Energy, Transport, and Water, World Bank
- Sarah Adams, CEO, GVEP International (Global Village Energy Partnership)
- Doug Faulkner, Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development, United States Department of Agriculture
- Yasuo WATANABE, Deputy Director General, Minister’s Secretariat, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), Japan
Open DiscussionB3. Development of Biobased Products Industry (NON-Fuels) Moderator: Roger H. Conway, Director, Office of Energy Policy and New Uses, United States Department of Agriculture
Panelists:- John Renieri, Vice President and General Manager, Bio-Based Materials – Energy & Specialties, DuPont
- Ibrahim Togola, Director, Mali Folkecenter / CURES Network, Citizens United for Renewable Energy and Sustainability, Mali.
- Boyd Rutherford, Chair, USDA Sustainable Operations Council, Assistant Secretary for Administration, United States Department of Agriculture
Open DiscussionB4. The Role of Forestry in Renewable Energy Moderator: Mark Rey, Vice Chairman, Secretary’s Energy Council and Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment, United States Department of Agriculture
Panelists:- Donna Harman, President and CEO, American Forest & Paper Association
- Mauri Pekkarinen, Minister of the Economy, Finland
- Sundar Bajgain, Head Biogas Programs, Bangladesh
- Tom Richardson, Chief Executive Officer, Scion Group
Open Discussion11:00 – 12:30 p.m. State and Local Authorities Concurrent Ministerial Level Session
C1. Renewable Energy Policy & Financing Initiatives: Lessons Learned and Emerging Strategies The purpose of this session is to discuss state and local authorities and local authority driven initiatives to advance markets and projects. Co-Moderators: Virginia Sonntag-O’Brien, Coordinator, UNEP Sustainable Energy Finance Initiative – SEFI and Mihir Kumar Mohanty, Mayor of Bhubaneswar, India
Panelists:- Gunnhild Utkvitne, Director, Baltic Sea Solutions
- Mark Sinclair, Director, Clean Energy States Alliance (U.S.)
- Dieter Salomon, Lord Mayor, Freiburg, Germany
- Javier Garcia Monge, Energy and CDM Investment, Investment and Development Division”, Corfo, Chile
- Patrick J. D’Addario, President, Fiorello H. LaGuardia Foundation
Open Discussion12:30 – 2:30 p.m. Lunch: Ministers and Invitation Only
Host: Ed Schafer, Secretary, United States Department of AgricultureSpeaker: George E. Pataki, Former Governor of New York, Founder and Chairman of Pataki-Cahill Group
Speaker: Robert Mosbacher, Jr., President and CEO, U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC)
12:30 – 2:00 p.m. Renewable Energy Luncheon Event for Parliamentarians By Invitation Only Northeast Curtain Room (LJ230) Jefferson Building Library of Congress
2:30 – 4:00 p.m. Plenary Session Research and Development
Moderator: Peter Robertson, Vice Chairman, Chevron Corporation
- Speaker: Walter Kohn, Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, Nobel Laureate (Chemistry, 1998)
- Speaker: Ossur Skarphedinsson, Minister of Industry, Iceland
- Speaker: John Holdren, Teresa and John Heinz Professor of Environmental Policy, Harvard University and member of the National Academy of Sciences and Engineering
- Speaker: Li Junfeng, Secretary General, Chinese Renewable Energy Industries Association
- Speaker: Arthouros Zervos, President European Wind Energy Association, President European Renewable Energy Council
Open Discussion
2:30 – 4:00 p.m. Market Adoption and Finance Concurrent Ministerial Level Sessions: These sessions focus on enabling renewable energy uptake in mature markets.
A4. Grid-Connected Generation in Mature Markets Moderator: Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, Minister of National Infrastructure, Israel
Panelists:- Christopher Eckerberg, Vice President and Head of Public Affairs, Vattenfall
- John Cavalier, Vice Chairman, Credit Suisse Securities
- Pat Wood III, Principal, Wood3 Resources and Past Chairman of Advisory Board, Airtricity North America
Open DiscussionA5. Distributed and off-grid generation in Mature Markets Moderator: Wolfgang Palz, Chair, World Council for Renewable Energy
Panelists- Thomas Dinwoodie (Confirmed), CEO, SunPower’s PowerLight Subsidiary
- Mit Mehta, Principal, CCMP Capital Advisors, LLC
- Hannes Smárason, Chairman, Geysir Green Energy
- Peter Duprey, CEO, Acciona North America
Open DiscussionA6. Renewable Fuels in Mature Markets Moderator: Harry Duynhoven, Associate Minister of Energy and Minister of Transport Safety, New Zealand
Panelists- Paul Vikner, President and CEO, Mack Trucks
- Mark Fulton, Managing Director, Global Head of Strategic Planning and Climate Change Strategist, Deutche Bank
- Don Paul, Vice President – Special Projects, Chevron Corporation
- Mary Beth Stanek, Director of Environment, Energy, and Safety Policy, General Motors Corporation
Open Discussion2:30 – 4:00 p.m. State and Local Authorities Concurrent Ministerial Level Session
C2. Economic Development & Renewable Energy The purpose of this session is to explore various economic development tools state and local governments can employ to support key technology companies, the further commercialization of cutting-edge, employment generating renewable technologies, and the development of successful local and international markets for them.
Co-Moderators: Katie McGinty, Secretary, State of Pennsylvania: Energy Independence Strategy and Mrs. Aparajita Sarangi, Municipal Commissioner, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, India
Panelists:- Paul Tonko, President, NYSERDA, State of New York, Innovative Business Development
- Marta Bonifert, Executive Director, Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe
- Tom Delay, Chief Executive, UK Carbon Trust
- Stephen Kabuye, Mayor of Entebbe, Uganda
- Kaspars Gerhards, Minister of Economics, Latvia
Open Discussion4:00 – 4:30 p.m. Networking Coffee Break
4:30 – 6:00 p.m. Concurrent Sessions: Market Adoption and Finance (3); Research and Development (4); and State and local authorities
4:30 – 6:00 p.m. Market Adoption and Finance Concurrent Ministerial Level Sessions: These sessions focus on enabling renewable energy uptake in emerging markets.
A7. Grid-Connected Generation in Emerging Markets Moderator: David Bohigian, Assistant Secretary for Market Access and Compliance, U.S. Department of Commerce
Panelists:- V. Subramanian, Secretary to Government of India, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
- Noam Ben-Ozer, Managing Director, Focal Energy
- V.K. Garg, Chairman and Managing Director, Power Finance Corp
- Dana Younger, Senior Advisor for Renewable Energy and Sustainability, Infrastructure Department, International Finance Corporation (IFC)
- Jeffrey Sachs, Director of The Earth Institute, Quetelet Professor of Sustainable Development, and Professor of Health Policy and Management, Columbia University
Open DiscussionA8. Distributed and off-grid generation in Emerging Markets Moderator: Mark Radka, Energy Programme Coordinator, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Panelists:- Amina Benkhadra, Minister of Energy, Mines, Water, and Environment. Morocco
- Leandro Alves, Head of Energy Division, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)
- Christopher Flavin, President, Worldwatch Institute
- Anthony Orlando, President and CEO, Covanta Energy
- Angelo Reyes, Secretary, Department of Energy, Republic of the Philippines
Open Discussion
A9. Renewable Fuels in Emerging Markets Moderator: Hernan Martinez Torres, Minister, Ministry of Energy and Mines, Colombia
Panelists:- Yusof Basiron, CEO, Malaysian Palm Oil Council
- Nancy Floyd, Founder and Managing Partner, Nth Power
- José Sergio Gabrielli de Azevedo, President and CEO, Petrobras
- Anil Cabraal, Lead Energy Specialist, World Bank
- Glenn Prickett, Senior Vice President, Conservation International
Open Discussion4:30 – 6:00 p.m. State and Local Authorities Concurrent Ministerial Level Session
C3. Renewable Energy Collaboration Opportunities: Creating national and Sub-national Partnerships: Today, state decision-makers enact and implement the policies, programs, and plans that are key drivers of renewable energy technology market transformation within their borders. This panel will explore how national and sub-national entities can and are working together more effectively to leverage each sector’s particular strengths and resources to maximize renewable technology progress.
Moderator: Paul Suding, Head of Secretariat, REN21
Panelists:- Marianne Osterkorn – International Director, Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership
- Kijune Kim, Chair of the Asia Pacific Partnership for Clean Development and Climate, Renewable Energy Distributed Generation Task Force, South Korea
- Robert Meyers, Acting Assistant Administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation, United States Environmental Protection Agency
- Marty Sedler, Global Utilities Director, Intel Corporation
Open Discussion
4:30 – 6:00 p.m. Concurrent Ministerial Level Sessions for Research and Development
D1. Bioenergy Feedstocks Moderator: Gale Buchanan, Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics, United States Department of Agriculture
Panelists:- Miles Drake, Senior Vice President, Research & Development, Weyerhaeuser Company
- Kepler Euclides Filho, Executive Director of EMBRAPA, Brazil
- Timothy Searchinger, Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University
Open Discussion
D2. Bioenergy Conversion Processes Moderator: Ray Orbach, Under Secretary for Science, Office of Science, United States Department of Energy: Introduction to the topic
Panelists:- Jan-Eric Sundgren, Senior Vice President Environment and Public Affairs, Volvo Group
- James A. Dumesic, Professor of Engineering, University of Wisconsin
- Bruce E. Dale, Editor In Chief, Biofuels, Bioproducts & Biorefining; Associate Director: Office of Biobased Technologies; and Professor: Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Michigan State University
- David B. Sandalow, Senior Fellow Foreign Policy, The Brookings Institute Open Discussion
D3. Wind and Solar Moderator: Joachim Luther, Chairman of the International Science Panel on Renewable Energies (ISPRE)
Panelists:- Dan Arvizu, Director, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
- Nathan Lewis, George L. Argyros Professor of Chemistry, Cal Tech
- Arnold Goldman, Founder & Chairman of BrightSource Energy, Inc. and the Founder & Chairman of LUZ II, Ltd (Israel)
Open DiscussionD4. Ocean, Tidal, Geothermal, Hydro and Hydrogen
Panelists:- Liv Monica Stubholt, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, Norway
- Kristjan Guy Burgess, Executive Director, Global Center, Iceland
- Jose Achache, Director, Group on Earth Observations Secretariat, Geneva, Switzerland
- Thorsteinn Sigfusson, Professor of Physics, University of Iceland, Iceland.
Open Discussion6:00 – 7:30 Optional Conference Activities Reception Third Level Other
Thursday, March 6, 20087:30 – 8:30 a.m. Registration
Breakfast in Pre-function Area8:30 – 10:00 a.m. Opening Plenary: Presentation of findings from focal theme discussions
Co – Moderator: Reno Harnish, Principal Deputy Assistant, Secretary of State, United States Department of State
Co – Moderator: Allan Johnson, Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary for Rural Development, United States Department of Agriculture
Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development – Thomas Dorr, Chairman, Secretary’s Energy Council, Under Secretary for Rural Development, United States Department of Agriculture
Market Adoption and Finance – Gregory Manuel, Special Advisor to the Secretary of State and International Energy Coordinator, United States Department of State = Research and Development – Millie Dresselhaus, Institute Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.), United States
Regional Findings – Buyelwa Sonjica, Minister, Ministry of Minerals and Energy, South Africa
10:00 – 10:30 a.m. Networking Coffee Break
10:30 – 12:00 p.m. Pledges and Commitments
James L. Connaughton, Chairman, White House Council on Environmental Quality
12:00 – 12:30 p.m. Closing Remarks and Announcements
Paula Dobriansky, Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs, United States Department of State
12:30 – 2:00 p.m. Lunch: Ministers and Invitation Only
Host: Paula Dobriansky, Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs, United States Department of StateSpeaker: Graeme Wheeler, Managing Director, Operations, The World Bank Group
ASES: One in Four U.S. Jobs Could Be in Green Sector by 2030
The American Solar Energy Society unveiled a new report today in a briefing with Sen. Ken Salazar that says that 40 million U.S. jobs by 2030 in renewable energy and energy-efficiency (RE&EE) could be created if policymakers commit to growing the sector.
If U.S. policymakers aggressively commit to programs that support the sustained orderly development of RE&EE, the news gets even better. According to research conducted by the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) and Management Information Services, Inc. (MISI), the renewable energy and energy efficiency industry could—in a crash effort—generate up to $4.5 trillion in revenue in the United States and create 40 million new jobs by the year 2030. These 40 million jobs would represent nearly one out of every four jobs in 2030, and many would be jobs that could not easily be outsourced.
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Germany has about one-fourth the gross domestic product and population of the U.S., but has more RE jobs (214,000 vs. 194,000). RE employment in Germany has increased 36 percent in two years. We don’t even know how much RE employment has increased in the United States, because—until now—no one has estimated actual RE employment.
Despite some job losses, the net effect within a carbon-constrained energy economy is positive, creating roughly five jobs for each job lost. Because unionization rates are higher on average in more energy-intensive industries, the positive effect on union jobs is not as strong, but it is still true that four union jobs are created for every three lost.
A second implication of these results is the importance of revenue recycling. Much of the negative impact of carbon/energy taxes is based on the assumption that the revenue will not be recycled through cuts in other taxes. It is critical, therefore, that the pricing policy be accomplished either by permits that are sold or by energy taxes, not through permits that are given away to industries at no cost (i.e., “grandfathered” to existing companies).
If we fail to invest in RE&EE, the United States runs the risk of losing ground to international RE&EE programs and industries. If we refuse to address policy and regulatory barriers to the sustained, orderly development of the RE&EE industry, other countries will take the lead and reap the economic and environmental benefits. For the United States to be competitive in a carbon-constrained world, the RE&EE industry will be a critical economic driver.
Green Collar Jobs: Why Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency are Economic Powerhouses
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) invite you to a briefing at which a groundbreaking new report will be released entitled Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency: Economic Drivers for the 21st Century. This report from ASES is the nation’s first comprehensive study of the tremendous economic impact of these industries. It aims to answer the questions: how big are the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries and how large are they forecasted to grow? How many jobs and what types of jobs do they create? What are the economic development implications? The briefing will address these questions, as well as provide a special case study, and explore the important policy implications of this powerful research.
Speakers- Sen. Ken Salazar, (D-CO), Member, Senate Energy and Natural Resources, Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, and Finance Committees
- Brad Collins, Executive Director, American Solar Energy Society
- Drew McCracken, Director, Washington Office of the State of Ohio
- Roger Bezdek, Ph.D, President, Management Information Services, Inc.
While policymakers consider how to tackle climate change and energy policy, the study to be released shows that renewable energy and energy efficiency can offer the economic opportunity of the century – but only if we take advantage of this huge opportunity. Today, these industries generate 8.5 million jobs and nearly $1 trillion in annual revenue in the United States, and they contain some of the fastest growing sectors in the economy. Among the study’s findings are: if the country fails to invest in renewable energy and energy efficiency, it runs the risk of losing ground to global competitors. If policy and regulatory barriers to the sustained development of the industry are not addressed now, other countries like Germany, Denmark, and China will take the lead and reap the economic benefits. However, this new report also illustrates the tremendous opportunity for the United States to harvest these green collar jobs and how these industries, with the correct support, are poised to be economic powerhouses for the 21st century.
This briefing is free and open to the public. No RSVP required. For more information, contact Neal Lurie at the American Solar Energy Society at [email protected] or 303.443.3130×105 or Leanne Lamusga- EESI, [email protected] or 202-662-1884.
Lieberman-Warner Bill Moves to Full Committee
At today’s markup of Lieberman Warner (S 2191), changes were made to win the support of Sen. Lautenberg (D-N.J.), ensuring passage by a 4-3 vote (Sanders, Isakson, and Barrasso voting no) to send the bill to the full Committee on Environment and Public Works.
The changes, according to CQ:- Extending the scope of the bill to cover all emissions from the use of natural gas. The introduced bill covered natural gas burned in power plants and industrial processes but not in commercial and residential buildings.
- Requiring the EPA to make recommendations to Congress based on periodic reports from the National Academy of Sciences. The bill already would direct the academy to evaluate whether changes in the law are necessary, based on the state of the environment and available technology.
These were two of the four specific changes called for by NRDC at the initial hearing on the bill.
Amendments were introduced by Sen. Sanders (I-Vt.) and Sen. Barrasso (R-Wyo.). Changes made by amendments adopted at the markup:- Advanced tech auto funding limited to vehicles with minimum of 35 mpg (Sanders 3)
- More allocations given to states, taken from international forest protection (Barrasso 4)
- Definition of lower-rank coal eligible for 25% of CCS funding changed from “for example, bituminous and lignite” to coal with a heat content below 10000 BTU/lb (Barrasso 3)
Sen. Isakson reiterated his passion for nuclear power, and Barrasso argued for stronger coal subsidies, a sentiment supported by Sen. Baucus. Lautenberg compared their role to that of doctors faced with a sick patient who could become terminal, asking why anyone would withhold the necessary medicine. The Senators often laughed about their needs to compromise and balance each others’ parochial interests.
Sanders and Barrasso introduced several other amendments which were not adopted. Here are some:
Sanders Update: See this post for more on the Sanders amendments- Amendment 1 would have designated most of the funds in the zero/low-carbon emissions fund for solar, wind, and geothermal energy. Sanders pointed out that the bill has explicit funding for coal, cellulosic ethanol, and the auto industry but none for renewables.
- Amendment 2 would have replaced the advanced tech auto funding with funding for local and state energy efficiency grants. Sanders argued that the auto language was too weak to ensure any benefits, saying “If we do not act aggressively Detroit will be shutting down and moving to China.”
- Amendment 4 would give EPA authority to revise targets. Withdrawn after suggestion to work on issue by Lautenberg to have EPA action with Congressional veto
- Amendment 5 would have moved to full auction of allowances by 2026
- Amendment 6 would have put a moratorium on new coal-fired power plants that do not capture and sequester at least 85% of their emissions.
- Amendment 8 would have replaced the 15% offset allowance for companies with a system-wide cap on total offsets purchased. The amendment was supported by U.S. PIRG, UCS, and NRDC.
- Amendment 9 would have required economy-wide cuts by 15% by 2020 and 80% by 2050. Lieberman voted no, arguing that the 63% cuts would keep concentrations below 550 PPM by 2100 and saying “Your amendment would break the coalition and have possible other negative impacts.”
- Amendment 1 would have set up the Rocky Mountain Center of Coal Studies at the University of Wyoming.
- Amendment 2 would have supported high-altitude Western state (Wyoming) coal gasification demonstration projects.
- Amendment 5 would have pushed back coal capture and sequestration targets.
- Amendment 8 would have sunset the bill in five years. Barrasso said that China and India need to implement cap-and-trade programs in that time period.
Opportunities for Bioenergy Production in Every State
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you to learn about the extensive biomass resources that are available in every state and region of the country to be tapped for sustainable production of electric power and heat. In 2005, bioenergy was the largest component of renewable electricity production in the nation, comprising 56 percent of all renewable electricity and 1.3 percent of total electricity. This percentage can be increased significantly since each state has important biomass resources that can be utilized sustainably to produce clean, renewable, domestic energy right now. Despite the skepticism of its opponents, bioenergy has the potential to sustainably reduce greenhouse gas emissions, boost rural economies, provide jobs, revitalize rural communities, support farming, and implement sustainable forest stewardship.
Speakers for this event include:- Larry Biles, Executive Director, Southern Forest Research Partnership
- Robert H. Davis, President, Forest Energy Corporation/Member, Future Forest, LLC.
- Dr. David Bransby, Professor of Energy Crops and Bioenergy, Auburn University
- Robert E. Cleaves, President, Cleaves and Company/Member, USA Biomass Power Producers Alliance
Assessments have determined that it would be possible to sustainably harvest at least 350 million dry tons of forest biomass, logging debris, and secondary wood residues per year. Additionally, as much as 1 billion dry tons of biomass from agricultural resources, including crop residues, dedicated energy crops, and animal manure could be made available for energy production. Although these resources vary from state to state, no state or region is without a sustainable biomass resource. Energy can be produced from, among other things, the thinnings and low-quality trees harvested as part of fuel reduction and wildfire treatments in the extensive western region, dedicated crops and agricultural residues from the enormous farmland base of the central states, and logging residues and wood waste from the managed forests and forest products industries of the Southeast and the Pacific Northwest. Other sources of useable biomass include clean urban wood waste, livestock manure, food industry residues, and, in some cases, municipal waste. In addition to heat and power, estimates indicate that up to 30 percent of liquid transportation fuels can be produced from the biomass resource.
This briefing will address a number of regionally appropriate technologies and feedstocks, as well as economic considerations. Topics considered will be heat and electric power production, the biorefinery model for production of cellulosic biofuels, integrated production, biomass co-firing, wood pellet technologies, high-efficiency combustion, supply-chains, infrastructure, biomass assessment, and the creation of jobs through emerging industries.
This briefing is open to the public and no reservations are required. For more information, contact Jetta Wong at 202-662-1885 ([email protected]) or Jesse Caputo at 202-662-1882 ([email protected])
House Renewable Energy Action: HR 3221 and HR 2776
- the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2007 (HR 2776) from the Ways and Means Committee, reported out at the end of June
- and the New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security, and Consumer Protection Act (HR 3221), which needs to be signed off by the relevant committees
HR 2776 provides tax incentives for renewable electricity production, biofuels, efficient appliances, plug-in hybrids, and renewable energy bonds. It pays for these incentives buy reducing oil and gas royalties and closing the “Hummer” tax loophole.
HR 3221 is a wide-ranging omnibus, under the jurisdiction of the following committees:- Education and Labor (Title I: green jobs)
- Foreign Affairs (Title II: foreign assistance and trade)
- Small Business (Title III: small business sustainability initiative)
- Science and Technology (Title IV: research funding—HR 364, HR 906, HR 1933, HR 2773, HR 2774, HR 2304, HR 2313)
- Agriculture (Title V: biofuels)
- Oversight and Government Reform (Title VI: carbon-neutral government)
- Natural Resources (Title VII: Energy Policy Act of 2005 reforms, changes in oil and gas royalties, wind energy, CCS, wildlife, oceans)
- Transportation and Infrastructure (Title VIII: public transportation, highways, shipping, public buildings)
- Energy and Commerce (Title IX: appliance, lighting, and building efficiency, smart grid, renewable fuel infrastructure, plug-in hybrids)
- Armed Services (it’s unclear which components are under its jurisdiction)
All amendments to HR 3221 must be introduced by Wednesday afternoon. The Rules Committee will convene Thursday at 3 PM to establish the debate rules and timetable.
After the amendment process and ratification, the package will then go into conference to be reconciled with the Senate energy bill, SA 1502, passed mid-June.
Renewable Energy Opportunities and Issues on Federal Lands: Review of Title II, Subtitle B – Geothermal Energy of EPAct
The House Natural Resources Committee, Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources, led by Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA), will hold an oversight hearing on “Renewable Energy Opportunities and Issues on Federal Lands: Review of Title II, Subtitle B – Geothermal Energy of EPAct.” Other renewable programs and proposals for public resources will also be discussed.
Witnesses:
Panel 1- Mr. Jim Hughes, Director, Bureau of Land Management
- Professor Jeff Tester, Chair, MIT Climate Change Panel
- Mr. Daniel Kunz, President, US Geothermal Inc.
- Mr. Paul Thomsen, Public Policy Administrator, ORMAT Nevada
- Mr. Randall Swisher, Executive Director, American Wind Energy Association
- Mr. Robert Gough, Secretary, Intertribal Council on Utility Policy
- Ms. Lynn Jungwirth, Executive Director, The Watershed Research and Training Center
- Mr. Joshua Bar-Lev, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, Bright Source Energy
- Mr. Will Lutgen, Jr., Executive Director, Northwest Public Power Association