· On October 6, 2011, AmCham Chile held a ceremony to mark the creation of the U.S.-Chile Business Council on Energy, which was formally proposed by Presidents Sebastian Piñera and Barack Obama in March 2011.
· The objective of the council is:
1) To increase the business opportunities of the US and Chilean private sectors in the energy area;
2) To promote viable commercial projects in clean energy and energy efficiency; and
3) To support the sustainable development of the energy sector in both countries.
· The Council is open to all members of the private sector who wish to participate. In addition, the council will provide a space to interact with authorities from both countries and attract new businesses to come to Chile.
· The President of AmCham Chile will also be the President of the newly-created Council.
· The Council has created five workgroups to focus on the various challenges it faces:
o Finance
o Regulatory norms
o Training
o Technology
o Infrastructure
The United States offers a wealth of information in these fields, and its experience
will greatly benefit Chile.
About Chile:
· Chile needs new sources of energy that are secure, sustainable, and clean—as well as less expensive—as Chile has the highest cost of energy in the region.
· The Council will also focus its work on the wider variety of both conventional and unconventional renewable energy technologies, including geothermal and smart-grid technologies.
Coming Steps:
· Trade Mission on Energy from Illinois (March 2012)
· Regional Fair on Energy (May 2012)