COP-15

The Secretary of the Department of Energy(DOE) for the US spoke to a group of a few hundred Sunday at the Bright Green Convention in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Secretary Chu spoke about current DOE projects; as well as; department goals for the next 8-10 years.

His presentation started with a DOE plan to increase household appliance efficiency. Secretary Chu reported that the average American household currently emits 10 times more carbon due to household appliance use compared to those of Europe.  Secretary Chu remarked that he intends for American appliances to obtain the same efficiency as those in Europe.  He also stated that the DOE intends to make great increases in  efficiency standards for residential and commercial building.  This will be achieved through the use of infrared cameras; which will provide insulation suppliers with the ability to pinpoint areas in which air escapes.  Essentially, this will be a tool to tighten up buildings, allowing for a reduction in HVAC use.

Secretary Chu proceeded by providing DOE figures for Wind and Coal technology development.  The DOE recently spent 44 million dollars on a turbine research facility and 25 million on a blade research facility.  Secretary Chu noted that these facilities would encourage the development of windmills which will operate at greater efficiency.  He then displayed figures for DOE spending on clean coal technologies. They included 8 billion dollars of investment into carbon capture research and development, and 7 billion in government loans for the coal industry to implement clean coal technologies.  Before displaying these figures Secretary Chu stated that Australia, China, India, Russia and the United States have 75 percent of the worlds coal reserves.  He then explained that he expected these nations to use these reserves and if the US did not follow the result would be a supreme economic disadvantage.

The presentation proceeded with Secretary Chu presenting DOE goals for the next 8-10 years.

Including:

1.  The development of batteries on a scale equivalent to that of an Olympic swimming pool.  These batteries would be used to capture energy surpluses created by renewable energies.

2.  The greater use of nuclear power. Although, Secretary Chu did remark that the US had concerns over potential misuses of nuclear facilities.  Most notably for the production of nuclear weapons.

3.  Greater production of electric vehicles.  He noted that the creation of the hybrid vehicle is a lesson that all should value. He stated, that there were no parts invented for the hybrid vehicle, it is merely a product of old technologies constructed in a new fashion. He finished by statin this is a concept that must be utilized to its full ability.