Energy Week Ahead: India-U.S. Energy Summit Follows Climate Snub

Last week, India poured cold water on international efforts to fight global warming. This week, the nation’s top officials will be in Washington to talk about how they can work with the U.S. on the issue.

India-U.S. Energy

The U.S.-India Energy Partnership, which takes place tomorrow and Wednesday during the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will focus on investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency and “the road ahead for U.S.-India cooperation” on climate change. That road looks like a Himalayan dirt path in a monsoon rain after Modi skipped a United Nations climate summit, and his environment minister ruled out making emissions cuts.

India is the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, after China and the U.S. But at last week’s UN summit, Obama pledged to deliver cuts in U.S. emissions, and China said it would soon begin to reduce its overall footprint. India is taking a different route.

“What cuts?” Prakash Javadekar, India’s environment minister, told the New York Times last week when asked about cutting its pollution. “That’s for more developed countries.”

That sentiment will be downplayed this week as the U.S. and India are set to sign agreements on increasing the efficiency of buildings and extending the reach of wind and solar power. Among those discussing these issues at the Energy Summit will be Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz and Michael McQuade, senior vice president of United Technologies Corp.

“This interaction offers vast business potential for energy industries in both countries,” the organizers of the conference, TERI North America, said in a press release. “Both energy and climate are areas that demand international collaboration.”

ALSO WORTH WATCHING:

ARCTIC-COUNCIL: The Center for American Progress will host a forum today on what initiatives Secretary John Kerry can take as the chairman of the Arctic Council next year. Those addressing the forum include Admiral Robert J. Papp, U.S. Special Representative for the Arctic. The Council, which promotes action to reduce emissions and combat climate change, includes Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the U.S.

RAIL-TRANSPORT: Comments on the Department of Transportation’s rule on crude oil shipped by rail are due tomorrow. The rule is meant to curb explosions of rail cars carrying oil from drilling fields.

GAS OUTLOOK: Chevron Corp. (CVX) Vice President Greg Vesey, chairman of Natural Gas Supply Association, on Wednesday will discuss the trade group’s outlook for the winter natural gas market. The annual forecast is based on tracking supply, production, demand and storage. The group last year forecast little change in natural gas prices going into the U.S. winter.

WEEC WEEK: Former President Bill Clinton is among more than 250 speakers this week at the World Energy Engineering Congress, which begins Wednesday at the Washington Convention Center. Topics during the three-day meeting include energy efficiency and management, renewable energy, smart grid innovations and fuel cell technologies. Richard Kauffman, chairman of New York’s Energy Research and Development Authority, also is a speaker at the conference that ends Friday.

ENERGY FORUM: BP America Senior Vice President Robert Stout and Tesoro Corp. (TSO)President Greg Goff are among speakers Thursday at an all-day U.S. Energy Association conference. The event includes speeches from Mark McCullough, executive vice president of American Electric Power (AEP) Co.; and Chris Faulkner, president of Breitling Energy. Executives from Distrigas of Massachusetts and the Natural Gas Supply Association also will speak at the forum in the National Press Club ballroom.

NUCLEAR SAFETY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s advisory committee on reactor safeguards holds a three-day meeting starting Thursday. Among issues to be discuss is the biennial review of the NRC’s safety research program. The meeting includes a session with NRC Chairman Allison Macfarlane Friday morning.