On April 16, 2010, Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, the Honourable Christian Paradis and his American counterpart, Steven Chu, U.S. Secretary of Energy, signed a Declaration of Intent ("DOI") for Cooperation in Energy Science and Technology.

The DOI, which was highlighted under the Canada-U.S. Clean Energy Dialogue Action Plan put forth by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and President Barack Obama in September 2009, provides a formal structure for collaborative activities between the two countries and is initially to focus on expanded research and development in bioenergy and carbon capture and storage. The DOI was signed following the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas, where ministers from countries in North and South America gathered to discuss strengthening energy security, promoting alternative energy resources and acting together to address the effects of global climate change.

The DOI is to benefit a number of collaborative projects between Canada and the U.S., such as: a cooperative research and development agreement to investigate the productivity and harvesting of algae and its ability to produce biofuels; the North American Carbon Atlas Project, which is developing an atlas of major CO2 sources, potential CO2 storage reservoirs and storage estimates in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, based on common methodologies; and R&D on new coal gasification technology to reduce emissions from the production of coal.

The activities under the DOI are being led by the Clean Energy Research and Development Working Group and the Clean Energy Technology Working Group. Along with the Electricity Grid Working Group, a number of other activities are also being undertaken for the Clean Energy Dialogue:

Clean Energy Technology Working Group

The group is seeking to advance the development and deployment of carbon capture and storage ("CCS") in Canada and the U.S. Initial efforts have focused on implementing the following Clean Energy Dialogue Action Plan commitments:

  • Next-generation Technologies: the U.S. and Canada are enhancing links between CCS researchers in order to further next-generation CCS technologies by sharing information and collaborating on projects.
  • CO2 Injection and Storage Testing: the U.S. and Canada are developing and demonstrating CO2 measuring, monitoring and verification methods to confirm the safety and efficacy of CO2 storage.
  • Collaboration on Large-scale CCS Demonstration Projects: the U.S. and Canada are sharing best practices and lessons learned from large-scale CCS demonstration projects.
  • Strategies for Public Engagement: the U.S. and Canada are strengthening their partnership in this area by engaging federal and state/provincial governments, as well as industry, universities and other non-government entities, while also effectively communicating with the public on CCS.
  • Working Toward Compatible Rules, Standards and Practices: the U.S. and Canada are working toward developing compatible CCS regulations to minimize business barriers and facilitate possible future cross-border CCS projects.
  • Bilateral National Conference: An annual U.S. - Canada CCS conference has been established to further this dialogue and to facilitate CCS-based activities on an ongoing basis. The first conference will be held May 10, 2010, in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.

Clean Energy Research and Development Working Group

This group aims to connect Canadian and U.S. experts and improve collaboration in priority areas such as future-generation biofuels, clean engines/vehicles and energy efficiency (homes and buildings). Pursuing joint research, development and deployment (RD&D) in these areas will enable significant greenhouse gas reductions while strengthening North American economic performance and creating green employment.

Initial efforts have focused on implementing the following Clean Energy Dialogue Action Plan commitments:

  • Clean Energy RD&D Collaboration Framework: In order to expand collaboration, the U.S. and Canada are developing a framework to provide mechanisms and resources for expanded joint R&D collaboration.
  • Clean Energy RD&D Roadmap: The U.S. and Canada are creating a joint roadmap to identify technology and associated research, development and deployment pathways that would help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
  • Immediate Collaborative Projects and Initiatives: Projects and initiatives that have been launched include:
  • Analyzing the economic feasibility of different methods for converting trees killed by the mountain pine beetle into biofuels
  • Facilitating the integration of buildings into the smart grid through the identification of requirements and the development of standards and tools to evaluate and control the energy demand of buildings.
  • Expanding ENERGY STAR criteria and programs with the development of new and revised specifications for product categories.
  • Signing partnership agreements to improve energy efficiency in the transportation sector by coordinating research and development of lightweight materials development.

Electricity Grid Working Group

The group is focused on Canada-U.S. collaboration to facilitate the long-term transition to a modernized electricity system. This collaboration includes the identification of options for increasing Canada-U.S. trade in clean electricity, including the role that energy storage technologies might play in helping to accommodate increased penetration of renewable sources in that trade. It also includes the sharing of best practices and engaging industry and stakeholders in the increased application of communications technologies, sensors and computer software to the electrical system, or what is known as the "Smart Grid."

Initial efforts have focused on implementing the following Clean Energy Dialogue Action Plan commitments:

  • Increasing Opportunities for Trade in Clean Electricity: Natural Resources Canada and the U.S. Department of Energy are working with industry and other levels of government to identify potential resources and markets for increased clean electricity and ancillary services trade.
  • Advancing Smart Grid and Clean Power Technologies: Both governments are working together and sharing government-sponsored electricity research, development and deployment as well as government- and industry-sponsored reliability standards, cyber security and joint system guidelines.
  • Realizing the Potential of Power Storage: Both governments are engaging industry and other levels of government to improve understanding of the existing storage
  • Building the Power Workforce of Tomorrow: Conference was held in Toronto in February 2010 to work with industry and educational institutions to identify the additional skills necessary to meet future labour requirements associated with modernizing and building a more efficient electricity grid.

Canada-U.S. Electricity Grid/ Smart Grid Forum: The U.S. and Canada have committed to host a regular Canada-U.S. Smart Grid Forum, which will serve to assess progress toward a more efficient electricity grid based on clean and renewable generation while identifying new priorities.