U.S. Working with China to Develop Coal, Mine, Methane Capture Projects

June 8, 2007 // Published as a news service by IHS

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The U.S. discussed four areas for environmental collaboration with the Chinese. The U.S. and China will work to develop up to 15 large-scale coal-mine-methane capture and utilization projects in China over the next five years.

Methane is roughly 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas. Capturing methane creates a commodity that provides clean energy and increases mine safety, said the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The U.S. and China will also work to advance development of a low sulfur fuel policy for China. Currently, China suffers from significant air pollution stemming from cars and trucks.

Deploying low sulfur fuels in combination with new clean vehicle technologies will reportedly lead to major improvements in air quality.

The U.S. and China will complete a Joint Economic Study to evaluate different policy approaches for saving energy and controlling emissions from the Chinese and U.S. power sectors.

Once completed, the study can be used by China and the U.S. to enhance the effectiveness of energy and environmental policies by providing information about the costs and benefits of different control strategies, said the EPA.

Additionally, the U.S. and China will implement a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on energy efficiency product endorsement labeling. The initiative is touted as strengthening the partnership between the Energy Star program and the China Standard Certification Center's labeling program.

Activities under the MOU are designed to build capacity for voluntary energy-efficiency endorsement labeling in China and explore labeling harmonization between the U.S. and China, said the EPA.

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).