Tsinghua, Cambridge and MIT Alliance for Low Carbon Energy

Tsinghua, Cambridge and MIT Alliance for Low Carbon Energy

By Li Han

Staff Writer of the Tsinghua News Center

Tsinghua University, the University of Cambridge, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) joined forces on November 15 to form a Low Carbon Energy University Alliance (LCEUA) to develop new technology and policy options for the global low carbon economy.

Former Vice Premier of China Zeng Peiyan inaugurated the alliance. Tsinghua University President Gu Binglin, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge Professor Ian Leslie, and Director of the MIT Energy Initiative and President Obama's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology Professor Ernest J. Moniz attended the ceremony hosted by Tsinghua Deputy President Chen Jining that morning.

The establishment of a global low carbon economy will require shared global knowledge as well as strong networks of young leaders across borders and cultures. A unique framework for the three institutions will be formed to combine their capabilities for accelerating the discovery and development of new technology as well as creating networks of future leaders that will be crucial for a global low carbon economy.

Deputy Party Secretary of the Chinese Academy of Engineering Zhou Ji, Vice Minister of Education Chen Xi, Vice Minister of Science and Technology Liu Yanhua, Vice Minister of Finance Zhang Shaochun, Vice Minister of Environmental Protection Li Ganjie, Vice Director of the National Bureau of Energy Liu Qi, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology Chief Engineer Zhu Hongren, Vice Director of China Meteorological Administration Shen Xiaonong, and National Development and Reform Commission Deputy Secretary General Yang Weimin participated in the event.

Mr. Brent Christensen from the U.S. Embassy to China, Mr. Patrick Horgan from the British Embassy to China, and Mr. Bob Dudley, Vice President of BP, as well as experts from the three universities were also present at the ceremony.

The three universities will each select two senior experts to form a steering committee for the Alliance. Professor Yao Qiang from Tsinghua s Department of Thermal Engineering becomes the first executive director of the committee.

MIT, the University of Cambridge and Tsinghua University have all historically played key roles advising industry and government on issues requiring technology, analysis and policy choices. It is believed that the LCEUA can provide a platform with a unique capability for collaborative systems analysis and coordinated exploration of energy and environmental issues and options for a global low carbon economy.

Six major areas of cooperation have been identified, including clean coal technology and CCS; energy efficient buildings, urban design and sustainable transportation systems; bio-fuels and renewable energy; nuclear energy; smart grid; and energy policy and strategy.

(Photo by Guo Haijun)