1) Committee's Mission Statement

The Energy & Environment Committee will serve as a forum for AMCHAM members to discuss energy and environment(including climate change) issues both among industry participants and with guests from the Korean government and international organizations headquartered in Korea. Topics will include (but not limited to), Korean energy strategy, use of LNG, renewable and alternative energies, new technologies (e.g. SMARTGRID), improvements in energy efficiency (especially in buildings) and technologies and policy measures to reduce/minimize carbon footprint. It will seek to provide a forum for AMCHAM members involved in the energy and sustainable growth industries, related disciplines, trades and sectors to discuss issues of common interest. It will also provide a mechanism to bring pressing energy and environment policy issues to the attention of the AMCHAM Board and, through AMCHAM education and advocacy procedures, the relevant Korean government authorities and representatives of international organizations with headquarters in Korea.

2) Activities in Support of the Mission

• Regular meetings, with varied formats, on energy and green growth sector topics featuring guest speakers from government and industry
• Meetings for Committee members to review relevant energy and green growth issues internally and to update the AMCHAM energy & green growth policy statement
• Develop items for AMCHAM Board advocacy to relevant Korean government authorities and international organizations, in writing as appropriate
• Regular reports by the Chair or other designated Committee member to the AMCHAM Board on the status of major developments in the energy and green growth sectors and the potential need for advocacy on these issues
• Meeting topics could include
  • a. MOTIE or other officials, e.g. KEPCO CEO or KEI Director, visiting executives from US DOE:
    • i. "Make up" of power supply -- implications to fossil fuel supply chain and carbon foot print. The relative roles of coal, nuclear and renewables could be related topics.
    • ii. Lessons from the recent low reserve margin situation and potential impact on energy conservation (will there be changes in policy and regs to provide positive economic/financial incentives to encourage conservation on a sustainable basis?)
      • > Korea government's policy intentions embedded in RPS and ETS regimes and their projected effects on industries.
      • > Relative roles of MOTIE and ME in setting environmental policies and regulations.
      • > Potential linkage of ROK gas and power grids with DPRK
      • > C40 states that 40 major cities in the world emit 80% of the world’s GHG emissions. We can facilitate more discussions on how energy efficiency in existing buildings can help South Korea achieve their 30% overall CO2 emissions reduction plan against BAU by 2020. With an estimated cost of KRW60 trillion to improve efficiency in existing buildings, this is an enormous market opportunity for Public-Private Partnerships.
      • > Facilitate discussions on how to build more sustainable cities as new cities are built in Korea. Understanding the importance of integrated energy master planning of cities, we can influence Korean officials to build more efficient cities.
    • iii. The administration’s policy stance on key energy issues, including climate change, self-sufficiency levels, cost of supply, etc.
    • iv. The role of energy in South-North rapprochement
  • b. Accelerate deployment of alternative energy sources (fuel cells, solar & photovoltaics, wind, biofuels, clean coal, ESCOs, information systems to access Korean projects and research)
  • c. Energy conservation & efficiency (including green buildings)
  • d. What member companies are doing to develop and commercialize energy technologies, e.g. CEO as speaker
  • e. Increased use of LNG as a clean fuel; incl. 3rd party view, e.g. Wood MacKenzie
  • f. Carbon regulations and relevant management technologies
  • g. Technology deployment: Improving the power sector through use of SMART Grid and clean coal
  • h. Intellectual property protection for energy technology
  • i. KORUS FTA - consolidation of specific impacts on member businesses of ratification; improve understanding, identification of issues that may need to be addressed by FTA committee
  • j. Targeted white papers to frame advocacy positions based on member input

Co-Chairs

Seung Ho Choe - Pacifico Energy Korea Co., Ltd. (02-771-7801)

Ryan Russell - Kim & Chang (02-3703-1994)

June Choi - Bloom Energy Korea (02-6933-5240)