China-US Clean Energy Research Center (CERC)

In November 2014, President Xi Jinping and President Barack Obama made the China-US Joint Announcement on Climate Change and Clean Energy Cooperation in Beijing. Both countries agreed to expand joint clean energy research and development: a renewed and expanded commitment to the China-US Clean Energy Research Center (CERC).  This will include: extending the CERC mandate for an additional five years from 2016-2020; renewing funding for the three existing tracks: building efficiency, clean vehicles, and advanced coal technologies with carbon capture, use and sequestration (CCUS); and launching a new track on the interaction of energy and water (the energy/water ‘nexus’).

Earlier, in November 2009, President Barack Obama and President Hu Jintao announced the establishment of the Clean Energy Research Center (CERC). The US Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, Chinese Minister of Science and Technology Wan Gang, and Chinese National Energy Administrator Zhang Guobao signed the Protocol launching the CERC. The primary purpose of the CERC is to facilitate joint research, development, and commercialization of clean energy technologies between the US and China. The CERC will also build a foundation of knowledge, human capabilities, and relationships in mutually beneficial areas that will emphasize clean energy in both nations.

Besides the new Energy and Water Consortium, there are three existing consortia in CERC, Clean Coal, Clean Vehicles, and Efficient Building. The Clean Coal including CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) program addresses technology and practices for clean coal utilization and carbon capture, utilization, and storage. Abundant coal resources and widespread use are central to the energy systems and growth aspirations of both countries and present both challenges and opportunities for the two countries in environmental performance and commercial development.

In August 2014, the chief team leaders of both sides met in Beijing to discuss the collaboration plan of the second five years (2016~2020) and an MOU was signed by the two consortia leaders. The representatives agreed that the research sponsored by the current CERC was important to the development of cost-effective technologies to capture, store and utilize the carbon dioxide that is produced when fossil fuel is combusted. That research should continue as part of any renewal or extension of the CERC Protocol. Five Themes were selected as appropriate to a CERC renewal or extension:

Theme 1 relates to science and research in Advanced Power Generation, particularly Pressurized Oxy-Combustion and Chemical Looping Combustion;

Theme 2 relates to collaborations and knowledge sharing on large demonstration projects;

Theme 3 relates to CO₂ utilization and storage, particularly enhanced oil recovery (EOR), enhanced water recovery (EWR), and micro-algae growth;

Theme 4 relates to Advanced Coal Conversion, particularly gasification, poly-generation, and pyrolysis;

Theme 5 relates to System Analysis and Sharing, particularly modeling, simulation and cyclic operation of large base-load power plants.

The US and China have pulled together both the research agenda and the tasks with lead institutions nation-wide to help guarantee the success and value of this collaborative effort. These include research institutions, universities, national labs, NGO, and companies with long and successful partnerships working with both sides. The US and China teams have collaborated deeply with each other on many projects and look forward to working together even more closely within the framework provided by the CERC.

The China-ACTC CERC team

Contact: Dr. Tianhua WU  Tel:+86 27 87542417    Fax:+86 27 87545526 

Email: thwu@hust.edu.cn

Website: http://sklcc.hust.edu.cn