VZCZCXRO4530
RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV
DE RUEHLI #1340/01 1611430
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 091430Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY LISBON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6870
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC
RUEANAT/NASA WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LISBON 001340 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE - EUR/WE KEVIN OPSTRUP; DOE - DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF 
BEN GETTO; NASA - DAVID AMIDEI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ENRG KGHG TRGY ECON PO
SUBJECT: ENERGY SECRETARY BODMAN PROMOTES WAVE ENERGY AND 
PORT SECURITY COLLABORATION DURING MAY 24-28 LISBON TRIP 
 
 
Summary 
---------- 
¶1.  On his first trip to Portugal as Energy Secretary, Samuel 
Bodman highlighted the two countries' shared commitment to 
enhancing global energy and port security.  During his stay, 
he signed two memoranda of understanding -- one with Economy 
Minister Pinho to collaborate on wave energy research and one 
with Finance Minister Teixeira dos Santos to scan Lisbon 
container traffic under the Department of Energy's Megaports 
Initiative.  The Secretary delivered keynote separate remarks 
on global energy challenges at Portugal's Catholic University 
and to the American business community.  He also toured the 
world's largest photovoltaic energy facility in southeastern 
Portugal and met with high-ranking officials from the 
Ministries of Environment, and Science and Technology and 
Higher Education to discuss other avenues for cooperation 
related to renewable energy and climate change. 
 
Delegation 
------------ 
¶2.  In his first trip to Portugal as Secretary of Energy, 
Samuel Bodman visited Lisbon from May 24-28.  He was 
accompanied by his Chief of Staff Adam Ingols, acting A/S for 
International Policy Kathy Fredriksen, Director for Public 
Affairs Andrew Beck, and National Nuclear Security 
Administration Assistant Administrator David Huizenga. 
 
Megaports Presence Gets Underway 
--------------------- 
¶3.  On May 26, Secretary Bodman met with Finance Minister 
Fernando Teixeira dos Santos and Public Works and 
Communications Secretary of State Paulo Campos to discuss 
joint efforts to prevent the smuggling of nuclear and other 
radioactive materials at the Port of Lisbon.  All three 
signed a memorandum of understanding to further bilateral 
cooperation to enhance the security of critical 
infrastructure and combat nuclear proliferation and 
terrorism.  This agreement is part of DOE's Megaports Program 
which falls under the National Nuclear Security 
Administration (NNSA).  Megaports aims to enhance abilities 
to deter, detect, and prohibit the illicit shipments of 
nuclear and other radioactive materials at seaports 
worldwide.  Specifically under this MOU, NNSA will work with 
its Portuguese Customs and Port counterparts to install 
radiation detection equipment at the Port of Lisbon.  It will 
also provide radiation detection equipment and training on 
the use and long-term maintenance of the equipment. 
 
 
Collaborating on Wave Energy 
--------------------------- 
¶4.  Expressing a shared commitment to enhance global energy 
security and combat climate change through renewable energy, 
the Secretary and Economy Minister Manuel Pinho on May 27 
signed a memorandum of understanding establishing a framework 
for collaboration on policy and scientific and technical 
aspects of wave energy generation.  The MOU outlines specific 
areas of cooperation in wave energy technologies, including 
the exchange of technical personnel, evaluations of 
demonstration projects, and environmental testing and 
modeling.  Bodman also invited Portuguese representatives to 
visit DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado 
to explore further opportunities for cooperation in renewable 
energy and energy efficiency technologies.  Portugal is one 
of the few countries to have undertaken pilot projects in the 
field of wave energy. 
 
Combating Global Warming with Renewable Energy 
--------------------------------------------- - 
¶5.  Secretary Bodman also met with Environment State 
Secretary Humberto Rosa to discuss international efforts to 
reduce carbon emissions using renewable energy technologies, 
praising Portugal's efforts to advance the latest wave energy 
technologies.  Rosa commented that the Ministry of 
Environment would also be interested in working with NREL on 
systems using integrated renewable energy technologies in 
remote locations, perhaps through the Ministry's Center for 
Pollution Prevention (C3P). 
 
¶6.  Rosa also complimented the White House for initiating the 
Major Economies Process and for its efforts to remain active 
on environmental concerns.  He agreed with the Secretary that 
the next G8 meeting in July would provide the best 
opportunity to negotiate with both developed and developing 
partners.  Bodman remarked that President Bush had placed a 
high priority on negotiating with emerging economies by the 
end of the year and stressed that it was important to ensure 
 
LISBON 00001340  002 OF 002 
 
 
that nations honored their environmental commitments. 
 
Promoting Climate Change Modeling in the Azores 
---------------------------- 
¶7.  Secretary Bodman also met with the Minister for Science 
and Technology and Higher Education, Mariano Gago on May 27 
to review a joint program beginning in March 2009 between the 
University of the Azores and DOE's Atmospheric Radiation 
Measurement Mobile Facility to improve climate change 
modeling.  Although the environmental impact had yet to be 
reviewed, Gago commented that the program appeared to be on 
track.  Bodman also extended an invitation to the researchers 
and scientists under the Ministry's auspices to visit NREL 
facilities to study other potential areas for collaboration 
in the field of renewable energy. 
 
Touring World,s Largest Photovoltaic Facility 
----------------------------- 
¶8.  Traveling to Amareleja in southeastern Portugal, the 
Secretary toured the world,s largest photovoltaic facility, 
owned by the Spanish company, Acciona Energia.  The facility 
is two-thirds complete and will provide 30% of Portugal's 
photovoltaic energy when it becomes fully operational in late 
¶2008.  The 46 MWp facility will produce 90 million kWh a year 
-- equivalent to supplying electricity to 30,000 Portuguese 
homes -- and will reduce CO2 emissions by 86,500 tons a year. 
 
Addressing Global Energy Challenges 
--------------------------------- 
¶9.  On two separate occasions -- at Portugal's Catholic 
University and at a joint American Club in Lisbon/American 
Chamber of Commerce Lunch -- Secretary Bodman underscored the 
USG commitment to develop and deploy renewable energy through 
the aggressive funding of new technologies and the promotion 
of policies that enable greater private investment. 
 
Comment 
----- 
¶10.  The Secretary's visit enabled the Mission to fulfill its 
top priority -- enhancing bilateral energy and climate change 
collaboration -- even as it strengthened another priority 
initiative, counter-terrorist cooperation.  Complementing 
these two substantive accomplishments, the extensive press 
coverage generated by Bodman's visit furthered Lisbon's 
Mission Strategic Plan goals of informing the Portuguese 
public of USG efforts to promote energy security via 
renewable energy technology and addressing the perception 
that the U.S. is not doing enough to combat global warming. 
 
¶11.  DOE has cleared this cable. 
Stephenson