US-China Green e-Letter Vol. 1 Issue 4, September 2009

Editor-in-Chief: John Reinsch, Director of Public Communications

Letter From The Editor:

Scientists project that to avoid the worst-case scenario predictions for climate change a reduction of at least 20% of 1990 levels in global carbon emissions is necessary. In December many of the world’s nations will gather in Copenhagen to decide how much we actually will cut global emissions. Of note are two attendees who will be instrumental in the discussion – the world’s top two emitters, the U.S. and China.

To some, the situation leading up to Copenhagen seems grim. UN Secretary Ban Ki-moon has recently warned that talks are stalled. Also, China has hinted at not being amenable to discussing the issue until the U.S. commits itself to emissions caps. Further, the U.S.’s watered down Waxman-Markey bill doesn’t come nearly close enough to alleviating the concerns of climatologists – besides that, there’s a chance that the bill won’t pass the Senate (and even if it does…when?). Further, a dispute has arisen between the U.S. and the EU on whether to keep the old Kyoto framework or give the system a complete overhaul (the latter position being that of the Obama administration).

The upside to all this lies in the timing of the Summit. The Beijing government has dedicated itself to promoting a green economy in China – as evidenced by the recipients of stimulus funds and by Beijing’s enactment of renewable energy law. On the U.S. side, the Obama administration has acknowledged the problem posed by climate change and has attempted to push legislation mandating emission caps – a notable change of position from the Bush administration’s stance. This hopefully means that the U.S. and China will cooperate in December in Copenhagen.

Some take the position that the Copenhagen Summit comes at a critical time for fighting climate change – science would support this position since the models call for global carbon emissions to peak by 2015 to avert disaster. The U.S. and China being the two economic powerhouses at the Summit have the opportunity to dictate the course of the negotiations. It would seem, then, that collaboration between the U.S. and China is now more important than ever.

UCGEC NEWS:

Announcing The 2nd US-China Green Energy Forum:

The UCGEC is proud to announce its Second US-China Green Energy Forum. The Forum will span across October 22nd and 23rd with panel discussions occurring on the second day.

The conference will kick off with a greeting by the UCGEC’s own Robert Wu and Dr. Robert Larson. Delivering a few welcome remarks will be Peter Drekmeier, Mayor of the City of Palo Alto - a city that has dedicated itself to sustainability and fostering progress in cleantech. Mr. Dingmin Xu, the National Director of China’s Energy Advisory Committee of Experts will provide the keynote speech. Throughout the day, additional keynote speeches will be given by Mr. Arun Majumdar, Associate Director of Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, and Mr. Shen Yang of the Chinese Ministry of Construction.

After the opening remarks and Keynote address the Forum will engage in a series of panels. This year we have four exceptional panels covering a wide range of topics. Our first panel will discuss economic opportunities along the smart grid value chain. The Forum’s second panel will address Chinese Eco-Cities. Third, a panel on sustainable development will consider green buildings and the integration of solar technologies into the grid. Finally, the last panel poses the question: “Fleet Electrification, if Not Now…When?”

At the conclusion of the Forum there will be a reception. Marvell has graciously agreed to host the reception at its headquarters. At the reception, Congressman Mike Honda and Sehat Sutardja, President and CEO of Marvell, will deliver speeches.

In attendance at the Forum will be a delegation of approximately 80 Chinese cleantech professionals representing various cleantech sectors. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to collaborate with your Chinese cleantech counterparts. Register early and save big. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!

Calling All Bears and friends!

The UCGEC and the Berkeley Chinese Alumni International Association are pleased to co-host the US-China Green Energy Forum’s kickoff gala dinner on the evening of October 22, 2009 at the Crowne Plaza in Palo Alto. Speaking at the event will be Professor Shankar Sastry, member of the National Academy of Engineering and Dean of UC Berkeley’s College of Engineering, and Steve Westly, CEO of the Westly Group and former Chief Fiscal Officer of California.

For the uninitiated, the BCAIA is comprised of professionals across various disciplines all interested in cultivating UC Berkeley’s international presence. The BCAIA is not exclusive, however and opens its doors to all Cal alumni as well as friends of UC Berkeley. The UCGEC and BCAIA collaborate on multiple fronts. This is our second annual pre-conference gala dinner and we look forward to keeping thisf tradition alive in the future.

The UCGEC-Led Delegation Makes Headlines:

Recently, the UCGEC led a delegation of U.S. professionals through some of China’s cleantech zones. Check out our webpage for the trip’s details. The trip culminated in exceptional US-China collaboration. The delegation visited Shanghai, Suzhou, Nanjing, Chengdu, Chongqing, and Xi’an in 11 days. The delegation met with local and central government officials, including five (vice) mayors, and explored opportunities in clean coal, solar/wind integration, solar production, and LED. The delegation made significant inroads in the following areas:

1. Path Finding: identifying common interests and avenues for collaboration between the U.S. and China
2. Forum Support: seek panelists and financial support for the 3rd US-China Green Energy Forum in China
3. Brand name building: make friends to increase the UCGEC’s influence in China

The Chinese media paid close attention to the trip. Thus far, the trip alone has garnered approximately 10,000 media reports in newspapers, TV, and on the Internet. Click here for a list of media stories, including interviews of various delegation members. Here’s some feedback from delegation members:

I should say you have done a remarkable job in making it happen. We all bring home with our own results or China observation/survey - those are all memorable/valuable.
– Kevin Gao, Vice President, CA Solar

It was a great trip. I really appreciate all the hard work that went into organizing it. I learned a lot and expect to follow up with several of the people we talked to along the way.
– Jeff Chapman, President, EnDimensions