Bilateral Agreements
Fossil Energy Protocol between the United States and China
The U.S.-China Fossil Energy Protocol is intended to promote scientific and technological cooperation between the United States and China in the field of fossil energy, particularly activities related to research, development, demonstration, and deployment. A complementary objective is to create opportunities for U.S. industry and power developers in China. The Protocol was originally signed in 2000 and was renewed in 2005 for an additional five years; signatories are U.S. Department of Energy and China's Ministry of Science and Technology. A Permanent Coordinating Group governs the Protocol, chaired on the U.S. side by DOE's Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy and on the Chinese side by the Secretary General of the High Technology Bureau of MOST.
The Protocol has five Annexes under which joint projects are conducted:
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Annex I: Power Systems
- Annex II: Clean Fuels
- Annex III: Oil and Gas
- Annex IV: Energy and Environmental Control Technologies
- Annex V: Climate Science
The annual Protocol Review Meeting was held in Washington in September 2007. The Chinese delegation was led by MOST Vice Minister Cao Jianlin. Two major successes have been achieved so far: an agreement between the U.S. company Evergreen Energy and the China Power Investment Corporation to conduct a feasibility study of utilizing U.S.-developed coal upgrading technology in China, the first of three phases outlined in a joint agreement to proceed; and an agreement between HTI and the Shenhua Group to use U.S.-developed coal liquefaction technology in a first-of-its-kind commercial coal liquefaction facility in China.
Along with these achievements, outreach and communications activities are underway to introduce Chinese corporations and research groups to the latest U.S. technologies in the areas of coal gasification, coal liquefaction, natural gas technology, coalbed methane recovery, acid rain control technologies, and carbon dioxide capture from power plants.
Additionally, the Protocol addresses important ongoing cooperative climate science activites including analysis of historical climate data and improvement of global and regional general circulation climate models for parts of China.
U.S.-China Energy & Environmental Technology Center (EETC)
DOE co-funds this activity with the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology. Objectives are to: (1) provide training and educational programs related to environmental policies, legislation, technology options and cost/financing of these options, (2) develop markets for U.S. clean coal technologies, and (3) help minimize the local, regional, and global environmental impact of China's energy use.
U.S.-China Oil and Gas Industry Forum
The U.S.-China Oil & Gas Industry Forum is a public-private partnership involving government and industry representatives from the United States and China. The Forum enables the two countries to meet common goals, including development of secure, reliable and economic sources of oil and natural gas while facilitating investment in the energy industry.
The Eighth U.S.-China Oil & Gas Industry Forum was held in September 2007, in San Francisco, California. High-level government officials from the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Commerce, and China's National Development and Reform Commission, along with industry executives from both the Chinese and the U.S. oil and natural gas industries were in attendance.
The Departments of Energy and Commerce co-hosted the Forum on the U.S. side and the National Development and Reform Commission was the Chinese host. Seven successful forums have been held since 1998. U.S. oil and gas industry participants consider the Forum to be an important opportunity for engagement with the Chinese.
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