The US and Israel will hold the Cooperation for Energy Independence of Demcracies in the 21st Century inaugural conferenceon August 26-28 in Jerusalem. The conference is aimed at reducing US dependence on Middle Eastern oil by developing alternative energy sources.
The US Department of Energy, Israel’s Ministry of National Infrastructures, and the American Jewish Congress are hosting the conference. The conference will focus on a common vision: developing renewable energy sources that will improve both countries’ security in terms of available energy sources.
Assistant Secretary of Energy David Garman will head the US delegation, and Minister of National Infrastructures Joseph Paritzky the Israeli. Energy companies from both countries will also attend.
The US is currently investing $1.7 billion to develop hydrogen fuel cells and a hydrogen-fueled car.
One of the conference’s aims is to strengthen Department of Energy-Ministry of National Infrastructures collaboration on R&D and commercial applications for renewable energy, and on joint projects to demonstrate potentially promising concepts.
The conference organizers’ envision a kind of joint US-Israeli Manhattan Project to reduce their dependence on imported fuel.
Published by Globes [online] - www.globes.co.il - on June 10, 2003