A ten-member delegation representing the Chinese Academy of
Sciences arrived at Berkeley Lab on May 18 for two days of meetings with representatives
of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and the U.S. energy industry. The visit
underscored the close and growing scientific links between the two countries.
The Committee on Cooperation in the Energy Futures of China and the United States is
preparing a report that will suggest areas of cooperation between the two nations in the
research and development of cleaner, more energy efficient technologies. The environmental
consequences of energy use and related technologies were also addressed.
The Chinese delegation was led by Lu Yongxiang, president of the Chinese Academy of
Sciences, while Nobel laureate Sherwood Rowland represented the U.S. National Academy.
Other members of the Chinese contingent included Zhou Fengqi, director of the Energy
Research Institute of the State Plan-ning Commission, Fan Weitang, President of the China
Coal Society, and Yan Luguang, director of the Academy's Institute of Electrical
Engineering. Participants in the U.S. group included Environmental Energy Technologies
Division Director Mark Levine, who hosted the event, and Richard Balzhiser, past president
of the Electric Power Research Institute.
On May 20 the Chinese delegates took a tour of Berkeley Lab. At the Energy Efficient
Fixtures Laboratory, members of the delegation saw the compact fluorescent torchiere
developed there and talked with Lighting Group head Michael Siminovitch about other
efficient lighting projects.
"The Chinese delegates were very excited to see the evolution of compact
fluorescent fixtures, and showed great interest in using energy efficient fixtures for the
home," Siminovitch said. "Judging by their comments and questions I could tell
they were very familiar with the technology and committed to using it in their
country."
A highlight of the tour of Berkeley Lab was the stop at the Advanced Light Source. ALS
Director Brian Kincaid and Alfred Schlachter led the group through a variety of beam lines
and projects in the life, physical and materials sciences.
The group also visited the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center
(NERSC), ESNet and the Visualization Lab, where they were hosted by Computing Sciences
Dir-ectorate Deputy Sandy Merola. EET Division's Mary Quinby-Hunt discussed her study of
light scattering off of particles such as diesel exhaust using NERSC computer time.
Mike Chartock, head of the Office for Planning and Communications, welcomed the group
and guided them through the Lab's history, achievements and historical displays.
