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DE RUEHTG #0188/01 0771601
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R 181601Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY TEGUCIGALPA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9446
INFO RUEHWH/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEAEPA/EPA WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEGUCIGALPA 000188 
 
STATE FOR OES/EGC, OES/ENV, EEB/ESC/IEC/EPC, WHA/EPSC 
ENERGY FOR LINDSAY EINSTEIN AND GARY WARD 
AGRICULTURE FOR YVETTE WEDDERBURN 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ENRG SENV EAID HO
SUBJECT: ZELAYA FLIES MILE-HIGH IN SUPPORT OF RENEWABLE ENERGY 
 
Ref: 07 Tegucigalpa 1125 
 
TEGUCIGALP 00000188  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. Summary: President Manuel Zelaya, accompanied by the Ambassador, 
led a high-level delegation to the United States in February to 
explore the potential for further promoting renewable energy in 
Honduras. In Washington, he met with Cabinet members to discuss 
U.S.-Honduran partnerships in this field.  The delegation continued 
on to Colorado, where they toured the National Renewable Energy 
Laboratory and Colorado State University research and development 
facilities.  With this successful visit, Embassy Tegucigalpa 
progressed in its implementation of the reftel Renewable Energy 
Strategy, while also demonstrating the commitment of the USG towards 
a positive agenda based on mutual interests.  This trip focused the 
importance of our energy relationship with Honduras.  End Summary. 
 
--------------------------- 
Energy Agenda in Washington 
--------------------------- 
 
¶2.  President Zelaya requested meetings in Washington that focused 
on renewable energy as part of his initial call upon the new 
Administration.  On February 19, President Zelaya and members of his 
Honduran cabinet met with Secretary of Energy Chu to discuss 
US-Honduran partnership on renewable energy. Zelaya noted that 
Honduras is dependent on imported hydrocarbons and that he wants 
Honduras to be seen as "open for business" in the area of renewable 
energy, and particularly in the development of hydroelectricity, 
biofuels and wind energy.  He mentioned that Honduras was one of the 
first countries, along with Brazil, to develop renewable energy and 
biofuels promotion legislation.  In his first meeting with a foreign 
head of state, Secretary Chu reiterated the high priority placed on 
renewable energy by the Obama Administration, which will have an 
international reach and impact.  Secretary Chu praised Honduras for 
its forward thinking on energy security and renewable energy plans, 
and offered the technical support of the Department of Energy in 
developing renewable energy capacity in Honduras.  In particular, 
the DOE can offer expertise in the area of combined cycle 
management, to further increase the efficiency of electricity 
production.  Secretary Chu also expressed the view that the 
development of biofuels and food security and food prices could be 
complementary and discussed the many new biofuels technologies that 
were being produced from non-food crops. 
 
¶3.  Secretary of Agriculture Vilsack also received the delegation 
and discussed the shared objective of developing increased biofuel 
capacity in both countries.  Although Honduras remains concerned 
about food security and the rising prices of its basic food items, 
the President and his Minister of Agriculture affirmed their 
commitment to biofuel production.  Secretary Vilsack assured Zelaya 
that new technologies will reduce or eliminate the competition with 
food cultivation.  Secretary Vilsack also invited President Zelaya 
to visit USG laboratories where advanced biofuel research is being 
conducted, and commended his interest in biofuel technology. 
 
-------------------------- 
Renewable Energy in Action 
-------------------------- 
 
¶4.  Probably the highlight of this energy-focused visit to the 
United States was in Colorado, where the delegation, at the 
Embassy's suggestion, saw pioneering renewable energy technology in 
action.  President Zelaya and the Ambassador were accompanied by 
Honduran Foreign Minister Patricia Rodas, the President's Advisor on 
Biofuels Moises Starkman, and the Honduran Ambassador to the United 
States Roberto Flores Bermudez, among others. The visit included 
tours at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, 
Colorado and the Engines and Energy Conversion Laboratory at 
Colorado State University.  President Zelaya was extremely 
well-received both by these institutions and by the press, with 
interviews by ABC News and the Spanish language network Univision. 
The delegation also had opportunities to interact with State of 
Colorado officials and the local business community. 
 
¶5.  The marathon schedule began with a breakfast hosted by the 
Chamber of the Americas, a group of businesses focused on 
facilitating commerce throughout the Western Hemisphere. The 
breakfast resulted in plans for a possible future Colorado trade 
mission to Honduras.  The subsequent half-day visit to National 
Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) gave the delegation an 
opportunity to see cutting-edge advances the USG is developing in 
renewable energy, including the core of the lab and solar panel 
technology.  The tour culminated in a trip to NREL's National Wind 
Technology Center, where dozens of windmills produce electricity for 
the local grid. 
 
 
TEGUCIGALP 00000188  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶6. In an effort to understand what can be achieved with strong 
academic collaboration, the delegation traveled to Fort Collins and 
the research and development laboratories of Colorado State 
University's Engines and Energy Conversion Laboratory (EECL). 
Researchers at the EECL have partnered with the public sector to 
push the limits on renewable energy technology.  In addition to 
advanced research on hydroelectricity, the Laboratory has developed 
a nine-dollar clean cooking stove that reduces indoor air pollution 
and improves fuel and cooking efficiency at an affordable price for 
most third world households.  This is a critical advance in 
countries that rely on the burning of firewood for energy needs.  As 
a result of the delegation's visit, EECL wants to explore options to 
partner with Honduras in the development of cooking stoves that 
would be made especially for the Honduran market, along with other 
innovative renewable energy technologies such as biodiesel produced 
from algae. 
 
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Comment 
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¶7.  Zelaya's visit to the United States within the first weeks of 
the Obama administration underscores the importance of the 
relationship between Honduras and the United States.  This visit was 
a true success in our efforts to engage the Zelaya administration at 
every level and focus on shared goals, including the Mission's 
Renewable Energy Strategy (reftel).  With Zelaya's interest in 
renewable energy heightened as a result of the reverse trade 
mission, the USG should be able to actively engage Honduras on 
renewable energy issues in the last year of his Administration, 
following through on the promise of partnership in this critical 
area.  Training opportunities and technical assistance, as offered 
by Secretary Chu and the Colorado organizations, will be 
particularly useful as the two countries move forward.  (Note:  This 
cable has not been cleared by other agencies or institutions.)  End 
Comment. 
 
LLORENS