Secretary Abraham Announces Energy Partnership with Brazil; Supports President Bush's call for International Energy Cooperation

6/20/2003

From: Jeanne Lopatto, 202-586-4940 or Corry Schiermeyer, 202-586-5806, both of the U.S. Department of Energy

WASHINGTON, June 20 -- The United States and Brazil formalized cooperative energy efforts today with the signing of two agreements. Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham signed a Memorandum Of Understanding with Brazilian Mines and Energy Minister Dilma Rousseff to formally initiate energy cooperation with Brazil. Additionally, Secretary Abraham and Brazilian Minister of Science and Technology Roberto Amaral signed the U.S. - Brazil International Nuclear Energy Research Initiative (I-NERI). Both agreements support President Bush's National Energy Policy goal to engage Brazil in energy cooperation.

"This partnership will strengthen bilateral cooperation on energy modernization and new technologies for both countries, promoting economic growth and energy security, as called for in President Bush's National Energy Policy," Secretary Abraham said. "This dialogue will advance areas of mutual cooperation and help expand trade and investment between the U.S. and Brazil, enhance regional energy security and promote the use of clean energy technologies."

The U.S. and Brazil announced the following agreements and projects as part of their Energy Partnership:

-- U.S. - Brazil initiate discussions to collaborate on hydrogen and fuel cells, and Brazil becoming the first Latin American country to join President Bush's proposed International Partnership for the Hydrogen Economy (IPHE),

-- Brazil to begin negotiations to become a charter member of the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum (CSLF),

-- Bilateral cooperation on electricity regulation and offshore safety, and

-- Cooperation on development of clean energy technologies.

The U.S. - Brazil I-NERI agreement will foster collaborative research and development on advanced nuclear technology that will improve cost performance, enhance safety and increase proliferation resistance of future nuclear energy systems. Additionally, both countries will cooperate on advanced technologies for nuclear power as a build on to the Generation IV power effort.

President Bush and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva met today and agreed to launch the broad, bilateral energy partnership that will focus on renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies, hydrogen energy, carbon sequestration, electricity modernization and offshore energy infrastructure safety.

Secretary Abraham will travel to Brazil in December for an Energy Ministerial and to formally inaugurate the Energy Working Group.