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
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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
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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
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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
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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