ITALY PROPOSES LOW-CARBON TECHNOLOGY COLLABORATION WITH

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ROME 000653 SIPDIS EUR/PGI FOR D. TESSLER EUR/WE FOR C. JESTER AND S. HARTMANN EUR/PPD FOR L. PEREZ OES FOR J. MIOTKE AND D. NELSON NSC FOR C. CONNORS DOE FOR J. SHRIER AND J. SKEER EPA FOR A. PHILLIPS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV ENRG KGHG TRGY KSCA KPAO CH IT SUBJECT: ITALY PROPOSES LOW-CARBON TECHNOLOGY COLLABORATION WITH U.S. IN CHINA, OTHER COUNTRIES ROME 00000653 001.2 OF 003 ¶1. Summary. At a May 26 low-carbon technology conference organized by the Embassy and Italian co-sponsors, Environment Director General Corrado Clini called for Italy-U.S. collaboration in developing and deploying clean energy technology in China and other countries. He highlighted three sectors for potential collaboration: energy efficiency, bioenergy, and green buildings. U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) PDAS Jonathan Shrier described four key means of moving low-carbon technology from laboratories to markets: carbon-pricing and other market mechanisms; innovative financial mechanisms; public-private partnerships; and trade liberalization, including creation of business-friendly environments. U.S. and Italian speakers provided practical examples of these in the bioenergy, automotive, and solar sectors, and in carbon capture and storage (CCS). New bilateral research collaboration in bioenergy and CCS appears likely, resulting from travel by DOE experts in Italy as well as discussions at the conference. The conference received wide coverage in economic, scientific and energy-related electronic journals and news services. End summary. -------------- Conference goals, partners and participants -------------- ¶2. As part of Mission Italy's efforts to promote U.S.-Italy partnership in the areas of energy security and climate change, and to encourage stronger, innovation-led economic growth in Italy, in early 2008 the Environment, Science and Technology and Public Affairs sections proposed to hold a bilateral conference showcasing successful examples of clean energy technology transfer. The goals of the conference were to "Promote science and technology co-operation, innovation and leapfrogging" in low-carbon technologies, as recommended by the U.S. and Italian academies of sciences (http://www.nationalacademies.org/includes/ climatechangestatement.pdf),and to "improve international coordination of energy research and development efforts, including in collaboration with the private sector, and to build public support for the significant and sustained investments in clean energy research that will be needed" worldwide as called for by the InterAcademy Council study "Lighting the Way - Toward a sustainable energy future" (http://www.interacademycouncil.net/CMS/ reports/11840/11939.aspx). The conference was held under the auspices of the U.S.-Italy Climate Change Science and Technology Partnership. ¶3. Italian co-sponsors for the conference grew to include the Ministry of the Environment and Land and Sea Protection (MATTM),the Italian Foreign Trade Institute (ICE),and the Euro-Mediterranean Climate Change Center (CMCC),a non-profit research institute. The conference was held at ICE on May 26, 2009 (the day following the 5/23-25/09 G8 Energy Ministerial),and addressed practical aspects of the call for low-carbon technology deployment made by both the Energy Ministers and the G8 Environment Ministers in their 4/22-24/09 ministerial. Titled "Leading Low-carbon Technology in Italy and the United States: Moving Research from the Laboratory to the Market," the conference attracted 20 expert speakers and moderators from universities, the private sector, and government research centers. It was opened by ICE President Ambassador Umberto Vattani, MATTM Director General Corrado Clini and DOE PDAS for Policy and International Affairs Jonathan Shrier. The audience included 115 participants, ranging from Italian government and Food and Agriculture Organization experts to financiers, consultants, researchers, university students and journalists. The agenda, speakers' powerpoint presentations and biographies, and the post-event press release are posted in English and Italian on the conference website, http://www.lct-italyusa.com/en/index.php. -------------- Key Policy-Level Comments -------------- ¶4. In his introductory and closing comments, DG Clini confirmed the Environment Ministry's commitment to bilateral cooperation with the U.S. in climate science and technology. He proposed that before the end of the 2009, the U.S. and Italy redefine their joint work, possibly agreeing to collaborate in third countries such as China. He noted that this collaboration would fit naturally with the low-carbon technology dissemination goals discussed in the G8 process and in the Major Economies Forum (MEF). Pointing out with ROME 00000653 002.2 OF 003 pride that the energy-efficient building in China which U.S. Energy Secretary Chu had cited as a model in the April MEF meeting was built as part of an Italy-China project supported by his Ministry, DG Clini suggested that the U.S. and Italy work together in low-carbon technology development and deployment in China in three areas: energy efficiency, bioenergy, and green buildings. He noted that there are similar opportunities for U.S.-Italy collaboration in other countries as well, mentioning Brazil in particular. (Current annual funding for GOI bilateral cooperation dealing with climate change is about 193 million Euros, 125 million from the Foreign Affairs Ministry and 68 million from the Environment Ministry. A good part of the Environment Ministry's projects take place in China.) ¶5. Noting the Energy Ministers' call the day before for international coordination of clean energy technology research and development, PDAS Shrier described the "science and technology opportunities ahead" in the areas of energy efficiency, CCS, batteries, and solar and nuclear energy. He also mentioned the regulatory tools that can promote dissemination of those technologies. He concluded by focusing on four key means of moving low-carbon technology from laboratories to markets: carbon-pricing and other market mechanisms; innovative financial mechanisms; public-private partnerships; and trade liberalization, including creation of business-friendly environments. -------------- New and Strengthened Research Cooperation -------------- ¶6. Dr. Scott Baker and Dr. Pete McGrail, both of DOE's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL),described the different mechanisms that they use to work with other researchers, the government, and with the private sector in their areas of expertise (bioenergy and carbon capture and storage, respectively). Dr. McGrail and CCS Session Moderator Dr. Fedora Quattrocchi of Italy's National Geophysics and Volcanology Institute found strong common research interest in analyzing the carbon dioxide storage potential of basalt formations, and anticipate future work together in that area. Italian para-statal electricity firm ENEL, whose CCS research program Dr. McGrail visited in Pisa, also expressed interest in PNNL's research into carbon-grabbing molecules; an ENEL-PNNL non-disclosure agreement would need to be reached before any collaboration can occur in that area. ¶7. Dr. Baker's visit to Bari consolidated a growing joint research effort to study fungi with potential for converting cellulose into fuel; two institutes belonging to Italy's National Research Council (CNR) are now planning, with Dr. Baker, a CNR-PNNL memorandum of cooperation to cover their joint research. Since this follows Energy Secretary Chu's May 23 speech at CNR, at which CNR President Luciano Maiani called for strengthened CNR-USG research collaboration, it likely will have considerable momentum. Also in the bioenergy field, Italian conference speaker Tullio Caselli, CEO of SHAP SpA, described SHAP's joint work with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (under the U.S.-Italy climate partnership) to develop improved gasification technology for biomass such as wood chips. The gasifier which SHAP has developed will be tested at EPA facilities in Chapel Hill, North Carolina in the coming months. -------------- Press Coverage -------------- ¶8. The conference was covered widely in Italian economic, scientific and energy-related electronic journals (DISTI, IlVelino.it, Tribuna Economica, Quotidiano Energia) and news services (ANSA, AGI, ASCA). The ASCA article quotes Dr. Quattrocchi as describing the proposed CCS-basalt research with Dr. McGrail as the first interaction to take place under the DOE-Italian Economic Development Ministry cooperation agreement on clean coal and CCS, signed by Secretary Chu and Economic Development Minister Scajola in a bilateral meeting on the margins of the G8 Energy Ministerial (septel; see also http://www.energy.gov/news2009/7419.htm). Dr. Quattrocchi also is quoted as saying that a U.S.-Italy comparison of the risks associated with geological CO2 storage could be their next joint activity. (Dr. Quattrocchi is actively engaged in public outreach efforts in Italy regarding the safety of underground CO2 ROME 00000653 003.2 OF 003 storage.) Recorded interviews with Dr. McGrail and with U.S. automotive sector speaker Dr. Giorgio Rizzoni of The Ohio State University are expected to air in the future. ¶9. DOE PDAS Shrier has cleared this message. DIBBLE