United States and Kazakhstan Co-Host Seminar on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
September 16, 2010
The U.S. Department of Energy and the Kazakhstan Ministry of Industry and New Technologies, under the auspices of the U.S.-Kazakhstan Energy Partnership, hosted a seminar on September 3, 2010 in Kazakhstan to address barriers and incentives for renewable energy and energy efficiency. Participants in the two-day conference included U.S. Ambassador Richard E. Hoagland, Kazakhstani and DOE officials, and technical experts from DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the Georgia Institute of Technology, and Hudson Technologies. More than 100 representatives from government, industry, and various organizations attended the seminar and listened to experts describe the successes and challenges that the United States has faced while employing clean energy technologies.
The renewable energy discussions focused on the economic value of developing Kazakhstan's renewable energy potential, methods to address barriers to renewable energy, and use of analytical tools to map wind resource potential. The energy efficiency group explored ways to implement an energy management program, surveyed industrial energy efficiency tools and standards, and described techniques to conduct plant assessments and identify energy saving opportunities. Participants from both sides stressed the need for policies that provide long-term, stable support for clean energy development.
The United States and Kazakhstan have long cooperated in the energy sector. President Obama and President Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan met on the margins of the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, D.C., on April 11, 2010, and issued a joint statement that pledged to intensify bilateral cooperation to promote nuclear safety and non-proliferation, regional stability in Central Asia, economic prosperity, and other common interests.
