On July 19^th, 2012, the United States Energy Association organized and hosted the US- China Fossil Energy Industry Forum. This meeting concluded a study tour exchange between the U.S. Department of Energy and Shenhua Group on coal mining, power generation and coal conversion.  It provided senior DOE and Shenhua officials with an opportunity to recognize the achievements of this exchange, as well as to reaffirm the importance of U.S.-China fossil energy collaboration. During the forum, senior executives from DOE and Shenhua Group presented both the U.S. and Chinese delegations with certificates of participation in the U.S-China Fossil Energy Global Knowledge Network.   

Charles McConnell, Assistant Secretary of Fossil Energy at the Department of Energy, opened the forum with an overview of U.S- China energy collaboration. Mr. McConnell stressed the importance of the U.S-China relationship in global fossil energy cooperation and called for joint fossil energy project development between the United States and China. He also emphasized the imperative for fossil energy projects to be both environmentally and commercially viable in order to ensure their long term sustainability, and called for joint U.S.-Chinese leadership in this field.

Next, Senator John Hoeven of North Dakota discussed his vision for the development of North Dakota’s fossil energy resources and the investment potential for Chinese businesses in this sector. Hoeven described his resource-rich state’s ability to apply state-of-the-art technology to its abundant fossil energy supplies and welcomed Chinese investment in joint venture projects in his state.      

Following Hoeven’s remarks, senior leaders from the Chinese government addressed the forum: Fang Junshi, the Director General of the Department of Coal of the China National Energy Administration; Wang Xiaolin, Senior Vice President of Shenhua Group Corporation Ltd; and Dr. Wang Huamin, Assistant President of China National Coal Corporation.  They detailed the size of China’s coal and gas reserves, described projects currently under development and affirmed the need for joint fossil energy collaboration between the U.S. and China. In addition, they all acknowledged the need to utilize coal in an environmentally sustainable manner and emphasized the potential for U.S- China collaboration in this arena.

The U.S private sector was also strongly represented at this event. David Mohler, Chief Technology Officer at Duke Energy; Martin Considine, VP of Btu Conversion at Peabody Energy; and Tim Richards, Director of International Energy Policy at GE presented their respective companies ongoing projects in China, as well as their aspirations for future collaboration with the Chinese fossil energy sector.