U.S. and Poland Sign MOU to Enhance Energy Cooperation

4 March 2011

Special Envoy for Eurasian Energy Ambassador Richard Morningstar and Polish Ambassador to the U.S. Robert Kupiecki sign Memorandum of Understanding to enhance cooperation in developing clean and efficient energy technologies

The United States and Poland signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to enhance cooperation in developing clean and efficient energy technologies.  Secretary Clinton said: “This and other energy initiatives will expand economic opportunities for both our people and the Polish people and reduce Poland’s and Europe’s dependence on any one source of energy.”

This U.S.-Poland MOU will promote dialogue and facilitate increased cooperation on scientific, technical, and policy aspects of clean and efficient energy technologies, through the exchange of ideas, policies and information.

The MOU calls upon the United States and Poland to develop and implement a work plan that encourages the exchange of information and planning for future cooperative research on policies that support and enhance clean energy and energy efficiency and research, including research on clean coal technologies, energy efficiency, renewable energy, unconventional natural gas, civilian nuclear energy, and environmental and waste management.

U.S.-Poland cooperation under this MOU may take place in a variety of forms, including:

• exchange of publicly available scientific and technical information;
• organization of seminars, workshops, and other meetings on agreed topics;
• exchange of scientists, engineers and other specialists, including those from industry and other non-government sectors;
• visits by specialist teams or experts to each other’s facilities;
• conduct of joint analytic studies;
• identification of areas/projects suitable for the possible future conduct of joint research and development and pilot scale and demonstration projects; and
• engagement with similar institutions in other countries.