This conference represents the first time that leaders in four communities – business, technology, academia, and government policy – from both China and the United States will come together to discuss energy issues of mutual interest. There will be a mix of formal presentations panel discussions and informal discussion opportunities.

Second, its creation of three working groups will foster new collaborations between China and the U.S. in business, academia/R&D, and policy, with great effort place on follow-up activities.

Third, while China's energy policy makers find themselves challenged to manage exploding energy use and the resulting emissions, California has embarked on a remarkable path of controlling greenhouse gas emissions, largely through energy efficiency and renewable energy. California has policy experience, demonstrated ability to raise large sums of money for new energy technologies, and emerging world leadership in advanced energy R&D, particularly fuels from the sun, all of which are of intense interest to China at this time. China's leaders have embarked on a program to do much more than in the past to address its own environmental problems. They are beginning to pay close attention to the crucial environmental issues surrounding global warming.