ENERGY SECRETARY BODMAN PROMOTES WAVE ENERGY AND

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LISBON 001340 SIPDIS STATE - EUR/WE KEVIN OPSTRUP; DOE - DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF BEN GETTO; NASA - DAVID AMIDEI E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ENRG KGHG TRGY ECON PO SUBJECT: ENERGY SECRETARY BODMAN PROMOTES WAVE ENERGY AND PORT SECURITY COLLABORATION DURING MAY 24-28 LISBON TRIP Summary -------------- ¶1. On his first trip to Portugal as Energy Secretary, Samuel Bodman highlighted the two countries' shared commitment to enhancing global energy and port security. During his stay, he signed two memoranda of understanding -- one with Economy Minister Pinho to collaborate on wave energy research and one with Finance Minister Teixeira dos Santos to scan Lisbon container traffic under the Department of Energy's Megaports Initiative. The Secretary delivered keynote separate remarks on global energy challenges at Portugal's Catholic University and to the American business community. He also toured the world's largest photovoltaic energy facility in southeastern Portugal and met with high-ranking officials from the Ministries of Environment, and Science and Technology and Higher Education to discuss other avenues for cooperation related to renewable energy and climate change. Delegation -------------- ¶2. In his first trip to Portugal as Secretary of Energy, Samuel Bodman visited Lisbon from May 24-28. He was accompanied by his Chief of Staff Adam Ingols, acting A/S for International Policy Kathy Fredriksen, Director for Public Affairs Andrew Beck, and National Nuclear Security Administration Assistant Administrator David Huizenga. Megaports Presence Gets Underway -------------- ¶3. On May 26, Secretary Bodman met with Finance Minister Fernando Teixeira dos Santos and Public Works and Communications Secretary of State Paulo Campos to discuss joint efforts to prevent the smuggling of nuclear and other radioactive materials at the Port of Lisbon. All three signed a memorandum of understanding to further bilateral cooperation to enhance the security of critical infrastructure and combat nuclear proliferation and terrorism. This agreement is part of DOE's Megaports Program which falls under the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). Megaports aims to enhance abilities to deter, detect, and prohibit the illicit shipments of nuclear and other radioactive materials at seaports worldwide. Specifically under this MOU, NNSA will work with its Portuguese Customs and Port counterparts to install radiation detection equipment at the Port of Lisbon. It will also provide radiation detection equipment and training on the use and long-term maintenance of the equipment. Collaborating on Wave Energy -------------- ¶4. Expressing a shared commitment to enhance global energy security and combat climate change through renewable energy, the Secretary and Economy Minister Manuel Pinho on May 27 signed a memorandum of understanding establishing a framework for collaboration on policy and scientific and technical aspects of wave energy generation. The MOU outlines specific areas of cooperation in wave energy technologies, including the exchange of technical personnel, evaluations of demonstration projects, and environmental testing and modeling. Bodman also invited Portuguese representatives to visit DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado to explore further opportunities for cooperation in renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. Portugal is one of the few countries to have undertaken pilot projects in the field of wave energy. Combating Global Warming with Renewable Energy -------------- - ¶5. Secretary Bodman also met with Environment State Secretary Humberto Rosa to discuss international efforts to reduce carbon emissions using renewable energy technologies, praising Portugal's efforts to advance the latest wave energy technologies. Rosa commented that the Ministry of Environment would also be interested in working with NREL on systems using integrated renewable energy technologies in remote locations, perhaps through the Ministry's Center for Pollution Prevention (C3P). ¶6. Rosa also complimented the White House for initiating the Major Economies Process and for its efforts to remain active on environmental concerns. He agreed with the Secretary that the next G8 meeting in July would provide the best opportunity to negotiate with both developed and developing partners. Bodman remarked that President Bush had placed a high priority on negotiating with emerging economies by the end of the year and stressed that it was important to ensure LISBON 00001340 002 OF 002 that nations honored their environmental commitments. Promoting Climate Change Modeling in the Azores -------------- ¶7. Secretary Bodman also met with the Minister for Science and Technology and Higher Education, Mariano Gago on May 27 to review a joint program beginning in March 2009 between the University of the Azores and DOE's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Mobile Facility to improve climate change modeling. Although the environmental impact had yet to be reviewed, Gago commented that the program appeared to be on track. Bodman also extended an invitation to the researchers and scientists under the Ministry's auspices to visit NREL facilities to study other potential areas for collaboration in the field of renewable energy. Touring World,s Largest Photovoltaic Facility -------------- ¶8. Traveling to Amareleja in southeastern Portugal, the Secretary toured the world,s largest photovoltaic facility, owned by the Spanish company, Acciona Energia. The facility is two-thirds complete and will provide 30% of Portugal's photovoltaic energy when it becomes fully operational in late ¶2008. The 46 MWp facility will produce 90 million kWh a year -- equivalent to supplying electricity to 30,000 Portuguese homes -- and will reduce CO2 emissions by 86,500 tons a year. Addressing Global Energy Challenges -------------- ¶9. On two separate occasions -- at Portugal's Catholic University and at a joint American Club in Lisbon/American Chamber of Commerce Lunch -- Secretary Bodman underscored the USG commitment to develop and deploy renewable energy through the aggressive funding of new technologies and the promotion of policies that enable greater private investment. Comment -------------- ¶10. The Secretary's visit enabled the Mission to fulfill its top priority -- enhancing bilateral energy and climate change collaboration -- even as it strengthened another priority initiative, counter-terrorist cooperation. Complementing these two substantive accomplishments, the extensive press coverage generated by Bodman's visit furthered Lisbon's Mission Strategic Plan goals of informing the Portuguese public of USG efforts to promote energy security via renewable energy technology and addressing the perception that the U.S. is not doing enough to combat global warming. ¶11. DOE has cleared this cable. Stephenson