USTDA Supports APEC's Energy Efficiency and Emissions Reduction Efforts

(USTDA) Strengthens U.S. Leadership in Global Fight against Climate Change

BEIJING, CHINA - Yesterday, U.S. Trade and Development Agency Director Leocadia I. Zak concluded her participation in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministerial and CEO Summit. Supporting APEC's theme of "Shaping the Future Through Asia-Pacific Partnership," Director Zak announced two important greenhouse gas reduction programs that will connect U.S. expertise to priority energy projects in the region. Both activities support the historic climate change agreement between President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping that aims to significantly reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.

USTDA is partnering with the China Institute of Electronics (CIE) and China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) to demonstrate U.S. energy efficient technologies for Jiangsu Lake Cloud Data Center in Wuxi, China. The project will assist MIIT in establishing a model and standards for deploying green technologies and solutions in 100 data centers over the next five years. These efforts have the potential to significantly reduce energy use in Chinese data centers, which currently surpasses the total electricity output generated by the Three Gorges Dam, the world's largest power plant, and accounts for 2.4% of total power consumed in China.

This project builds upon USTDA's long history of supporting China's efforts to increase energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Since 2001, the Agency has partnered with China on over 50 environment and climate change projects. Moreover, as announced by Director Zak, this activity could help the broader APEC region reach its energy efficiency and emissions reduction goals. At the conclusion of the pilot project, USTDA will convene a green data center workshop open to all APEC economies to share the project's results.

USTDA is also working with the APEC Transportation Working Group on a new activity to analyze how advanced air traffic management technologies and practices can lower aviation emissions. Partnering with civil aviation authorities in Vietnam and the Philippines, this project will introduce U.S. technologies that can reduce fuel consumption, as well as improve the efficiency of flight paths, within these two member economies. The results of this project will be shared with all APEC economies and could be expanded across the broader APEC region.

This effort is important because, in spite of advances in aircraft efficiency, growing demand for air travel has resulted in steady increases in carbon emissions. The aviation sector currently accounts for two percent of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions, and global aviation emissions are projected to be 70 percent higher than 2005 levels by 2020. To reduce emissions, APEC economies are seeking ways to improve operational practices and increase the use of lower-carbon fuels and more fuel efficient aircraft.