Chu Announces Western Hemisphere Clean Energy and Energy Security Partnerships

The U.S. Department of Energy announced on April 15 a series of partnerships and other initiatives to address clean energy and energy security in the Western Hemisphere as part of the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA). Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced new projects focused on clean energy cooperation, technical assistance and financing, renewable energy, and electricity infrastructure and earthquake preparedness.
 
“Dozens of countries from across the Americas have come together today to promote clean energy future for our Hemisphere,” said Secretary Chu. “By expanding our cooperation and collaboration on key energy and climate issues, we will lay a foundation for broad-based economic growth while helping to protect our environment.”
 
Energy ministers and delegations from 32 countries gathered at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in Washington, D.C., last Thursday for the start of the two-day Energy and Climate Ministerial of the Americas. Energy officials joined with more than 200 businesses and nongovernmental organizations to advance initiatives under ECPA that will help countries across the hemisphere develop and deploy clean energy technologies and achieve low-carbon economic growth.
 
The projects announced include efforts to advance electricity interconnections in the Caribbean, support biomass development in Colombia, promote earthquake-resistant energy infrastructure, and create an Energy Innovation Center at the IDB to expand project development and financing.
 
ECPA was launched last year during the Fifth Summit of the Americas, when President Obama and Western Hemisphere leaders committed to expand energy and climate cooperation in the hemisphere as part of a joint effort to ensure economic growth and prosperity by developing clean energy resources, increasing energy security, and reducing energy poverty. ECPA is part an innovative approach to regional partnerships that includes the involvement of the private sector and civil society and aims to maximize each country’s unique strengths and resources to find new ways to produce and use energy.
 
See the DOE press release for detailed summaries of the new initiatives and partnerships.

Source: DOE