Lisbon, 19/11/2011 (Agence Europe) - “We can find a regulatory system to work together on standardisation in energy”, US ambassador to the EU, William E. Kennard, told reporters after the second meeting of the Transatlantic Energy Council (TEC). He stressed harmonisation of rules governing new technology (renewable energy, for example, where the US is carrying out huge investment, electric cars and smart grids): “It's a great opportunity for us to come with a shared vision on standards and regulations”. Support for the gas industry in Ukraine and Nigeria, the South Caspian corridor and nuclear safety were also addressed in the EU-US talks.
Meeting in Lisbon on Friday 19 November, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton, EU Energy Commissioner Günter Oettinger and Flemish Energy Minister Freya Van den Bossche (on behalf of the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU), US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and US Deputy Energy Secretary Daniel Poneman examined progress since the previous TEC meeting in November 2009. They instructed working groups to examine new energy security projects, technology and energy policy. The energy security workgroup was instructed to support work by the Ukrainian government by coming up with measures to make the industry more viable. Ukraine needs to update its investment climate, gas transit system for EU gas imports for Russia and introduce financial restructuring and a transparency plan for national oil and gas companies. The United States will provide aid to help expand Ukrainian gas production from schists, said US Special Envoy for Eurasian Energy Richard Morningstar, who accompanied Ambassador Kennard to the press conference. The important thing for Nigeria is to help the country increase transparency about extractive industries, explained Morningstar. The US has agreed to provide some aid to developing the “southern corridor”. Both sides agreed that the trans-Caspian grid could transport additional gas supplies from outside the Caspian Region, Iraq for example. The southern corridor is important but it is more important to examine how the EU can expand its internal market, said Morningstar. On the question of technology, the TEC agreed to make greater use of cooperation opportunities for the storage of energy, biofuels, carbon capture and clean vehicles. (A.By./transl.fl)