DOE: Six Energy Technologies will Address Climate Change

June 30, 2004

To address climate change, Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham says that six principal energy areas deserve the greatest attention: hydrogen, clean coal, safe nuclear power, fusion, renewable energy, and energy efficiency. In a speech on climate change on June 24th, Secretary Abraham first noted DOE's efforts on the FreedomCAR and Hydrogen Fuel Initiative and the formation of the International Partnership for a Hydrogen Economy. In terms of fossil energy, the Secretary noted the Clean Coal Initiative and FutureGen, an effort to produce a coal plant that produces no emissions, as well as the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum. For nuclear power, DOE is involved in an international effort called the Generation IV program, and for fusion energy, DOE is participating in the international fusion project known as ITER. But the Secretary also noted the achievements of DOE's energy efficiency and renewable energy programs, emphasizing that, "It is important that we make the most of the technologies that we have available today for reducing (greenhouse gas) emissions. That is why we are promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy both now and for the future." See the text of Secretary Abraham's speech, which he delivered at a conference called "U.S. Climate Policy: Towards a Sensible Center," hosted by the Brookings Institution and the Pew Center on Global Climate Change.