Skip to Content
U.S. Department of Energy Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Multinational Partnerships and Projects

EERE plays a key role in a number of multinational energy relationships. Click on the links below to jump to the respective section.

Clean Energy Ministerial

On July 19-20, 2010, U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu hosted the first-ever Clean Energy Ministerial in Washington, D.C. to increase collaboration on policies and programs to advance clean energy. This annual meeting brings together ministers and senior-level stakeholders from over 20 countries representing 80% of global greenhouse gas emissions and 90% of global investment in clean energy.

The Clean Energy Ministerial has taken technology action plans created under the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate Change—launched by President Obama in March 2009—and developed concrete initiatives, each led by a member country with voluntary participation by at least one other member.

EERE program staff actively participate in collaborating with international experts by sharing information, coordinating technical work programs, and participating in technical exchanges.

For more information on the Clean Energy Ministerial and its initiatives, visit http://www.cleanenergyministerial.org/.

Back to Top

International Partnership for Energy Efficiency Cooperation (IPEEC)

IPEEC is an autonomous, independent partnership of 15 member economies, with a Secretariat hosted at the International Energy Agency (IEA). IPEEC provides a unique forum for dialogue - and action - to promote energy efficiency improvements in economies that represent 75% of global energy use and 80% of greenhouse gas emissions. IPEEC operates under a distributed leadership model, whereby each member voluntarily leads, participates, and contributes to individual initiatives, or Task Groups. The United States leads two Task Groups on Super-efficient Equipment and Appliance Deployment (SEAD) and Global Superior Energy Performance (GSEP)--both Task Groups are also initiatives under the Clean Energy Ministerial. For more information on IPEEC and its projects, visit the IPEEC website.

Back to Top

International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)

IRENA was established in January 2009 and is headquartered in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. IRENA aspires to become the driving force for promoting a rapid transition towards the widespread and sustainable use of renewable energy on a global scale. As of July 1, 2011, 148 states and the European Union had signed the Statute of the Agency; among them are 48 African, 38 European, 35 Asian, 17 American and 10 Australia/Oceania States.

IRENA is currently building a network of international renewable energy experts, mapping global renewable energy potential, building a comprehensive database of renewable energy policies, and advising its members regarding successful policies and financial schemes to promote renewable energy, as well as initiating capacity building and training programs.

EERE is providing analytical support to IRENA in the development and implementation of the IRENA workplan.

For more information, visit the IRENA website.

Back to Top

International Energy Agency (IEA) Working Groups and Implementing Agreements

The IEA Implementing Agreements are mechanisms for pooling international resources to facilitate joint energy research, development, and deployment of clean energy technologies. EERE programs participate in numerous Implementing Agreements. For more information go the IEA website.

Back to Top

International Partnership for Geothermal Technology (IPGT)

The United States, Australia, and Iceland signed the IPGT Charter Agreement in August 2008 to accelerate the development of advanced geothermal technologies, including enhanced geothermal systems, or EGS, through international cooperation. The IPGT and its members facilitate and conduct research and development of cost-effective geothermal technologies, accelerate the availability of these technologies and work to identify and address wider issues relating to geothermal energy.

The IPGT opened an international dialogue between policy leaders, technical experts, industry representatives, and financial leaders that develops models to encourage large-scale integration of geothermal energy. EERE's Geothermal Technologies Program serves on the IPGT steering committee. Currently there are international working groups in six technical areas to advance geothermal technologies:

  • Lower cost drilling
  • Stimulation procedures
  • Zonal isolation and packers
  • Reservoir modeling
  • Exploration technologies
  • High-temperature tools

EERE program staff actively participate in IPGT by coordinating technical work programs and participating in technical exchanges with fellow international experts.

For more information, visit the IPGT website.

Back to Top

International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy (IPHE)

The IPHE, formerly known as the International Partnership for the Hydrogen Economy, expanded its focus to include fuel cells for stationary, portable, and material handling applications. The IPHE is an in-kind government partnership that facilitates international collaborative activities to enhance research, development, demonstration and deployment of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. It provides a forum for the discussion and alignment of international policies, codes and standards, and safety measures that can accelerate the transition to hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. EERE's Office of Fuel Cell Technologies Program is the U.S. lead and is actively involved in several activities in the IPHE.

EERE supports IPHE by sharing policy and program best practices related to accelerating the development and deployment of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.

For more information, visit the IPHE website.

Back to Top

Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Energy Working Group (EWG)

See the Asia-Pacific page for more information on this regional initiative.

Back to Top

The Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas

See the Americas page for more information on this regional initiative.  

Back to Top