U.S., BRITAIN ENERGY COOPERATION

U.S. DOE - FEBRUARY 28, 2023 -  LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM — The third meeting of the U.S.-U.K. Strategic Energy Dialogue was held today in London, United Kingdom, chaired by U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm and UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary of State, the Rt. Hon. Grant Shapps. The U.K. and U.S. announced the Strategic Energy Dialogue (SED) in June 2021 as the primary bilateral forum to enhance and expand cooperation across shared energy security and resilience, clean energy, and net zero objectives. The SED serves to cement both countries’ joint leadership priorities within global multilateral energy fora. The Dialogue is complemented by the bilateral Joint Action Group for Energy Security and Affordability that was established in December 2022 to accelerate cooperation on short-term action to support energy security and affordability in the United Kingdom and across Europe.

As a part of the third meeting of the U.S.-UK Strategic Energy Dialogue, the Department of Energy and Department for Energy Security and Net Zero met with small and medium-sized enterprises, innovators, and seed financiers from each country to discuss how early-stage financing can accelerate the transition to clean, resilient, and inclusive energy systems. They highlighted the importance of the right policy and regulatory environment to facilitate the growth of the clean energy industries and green technologies of the future.

Energy Security

Secretary Granholm and Secretary of State Shapps discussed the current state of global energy markets and their countries’ leading roles in addressing immediate energy security concerns, particularly as a result of Russia’s illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine, and long-term support for global and regional energy security through the advancement of clean energy technologies, including the use of domestic nuclear and renewable sources. Both affirmed the need to ensure strong environmental, social, and governance standards remain at the heart of global efforts to secure the critical raw minerals and metals needed for the clean energy technologies of today and tomorrow.

They discussed how technologies, including offshore wind and nuclear, can bolster energy security by providing greater home-grown clean energy resources, which will help to decarbonize power and industry sectors and bring down energy bills.

They reaffirmed recent determinations to end dependence on Russian oil and petroleum products and commitments to supporting European partners and allies’ efforts to reduce their reliance on Russian energy in response to President Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

Policy and Financing Levers Facilitating the Advancement of Clean Energy Technologies

Secretary Granholm and Secretary of State Shapps discussed key policy and financing levers available in their respective economies to encourage clean energy technology advancement, demonstration, and deployment. Their discussion focused in part on the role of national and local governments in supporting civil nuclear, floating offshore wind, hydrogen, and grid flexibility and storage projects, including in ways that maximize benefits for local communities. Both recognized the economic benefits of achieving a net zero energy economy, including the jobs and economic growth created through investment in new clean energy industries. In particular, both countries recognized the value in maintaining and developing the skills of established energy industries in a way that benefits the clean transition.

Multilateral Energy Initiatives Leadership

Secretary Granholm and Secretary of State Shapps reaffirmed their commitment to promoting enhanced international cooperation in multilateral fora to meet the goals of the G7, G20, and Breakthrough Agenda. Both acknowledged that key collaboration platforms like the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) and Mission Innovation (MI) are essential parts of the international clean energy landscape and can serve to advance their countries’ domestic and international goals, and welcomed the efforts to operationalize the Breakthrough Agenda as a joint project of the CEM and MI.

Continued U.S.-U.K. Engagement Through Working-Level Site Visits

The chairs voiced support for working-level activities to build on the success of the third meeting of the SED in advance of a fourth meeting in 2024. The Department of Energy and Department for Energy Security and Net Zero aim to arrange two policy expert site visits in 2023, one for U.K. experts to travel to the United States and one for U.S. experts to travel to the United Kingdom. Policy expert visits endeavor to ensure working level collaboration that complements the Strategic Energy Dialogue’s focus on developing policy and financing levers to facilitate the deployment of civil nuclear, floating offshore wind, hydrogen, and grid flexibility and storage in each country, as well as opportunities for cooperation in the development of accelerated energy transitions in third countries.

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