• Introduction
• Environmental Issues
• Fuel Cells
• Energy Efficiency
• Proposals
• Participants

Beginning in May 2000, there has been a concerted effort made to sellthe concept of the European Nuclear Cities Initiative to the European Community,Martellini reported. Based on some initial support of $10 million in fundingper year for three years, the Landau Network has been charged with preparinga list of 10 projects in energy savings technologies, as well as the establishmentof three �Energy and Environment Centers.� The ENCI would try to focusits support on two cities. Martellini reported that the absence of a nation-widemarket structure in Russia requires that a way be found to work regionally,by establishing regional offices with specific tasks that will serve asincubators within the closed cities and with both scientists and regionalpublic officials. He reported that projects under consideration includepipeline integrity assessment, telemedicine consulting, and environmentalmonitoring of the Volga and Caspian regions. Manufacturing of aluminumand titanium should also be investigated, and a key first step is to askthe centers to assess the need and determine the market requirement forthese materials.

A meeting is planned for December 5-7 of the Nonproliferation InternationalCoordinating Initiative, with Italy acting as chair of the meeting. ThisInitiative is within the Committee on Nonproliferation (�CONOP�), and asession will be held specifically on �experts nonproliferation,� and how�to prevent the proliferation of brains.� The UK and German governmentshave already made a statement that they are ready to work on e this issuewithin the ENCI framework Swedish support may also be forthcoming. MINATOMofficials Belkin and Ryabev have expressed their support for the ENCI,but to be successful, there must be very specific project ideas and details;the EC historically is unsupportive of very broadly defined projects. Thecoordination of the ENCI can follow one of two paths, Martellini reported:either individual, national government-coordinated, or centrally coordinatedby the European Community. Martellini believes it may be easier throughthe EC structure, but at this point it remains �too soon to tell.�


Environmental Issues

Don Bradley
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Bradley reported to the participants �there has not been much changein environmental management in Russia in the 10 years that PNNL has beenon-scene. In his view, �the focus has been---and will continue to be---thePacific and Northern fleets.� If the ENCI wants to get involved in environmentalmanagement, Mayak, Seversk (Tomsk-7) and Zheleznogorsk (Kraysnoyarsk-26)are the only shows in town. PNNL has been working with Mayak for 10 years;but it remains difficult to work with them to this day, and the sides areonly able to cooperate on waste management and data exchanges. �If youwant to be in the EM business with Russia and lend to a greater understanding,you need to be at the three reprocessing sites,� he stressed. While Sarovhas some waste issues, it is all well-contained LLRW and SRW and not toomuch of a problem. He added that 98 percent of the curies released intothe world environment is at the three sites.

Any environmental management project undertaken at these sites mustbe viewed as a long-term commitment, not �a 6-month deal. You won�t cleansomething up� in that timeframe, Bradley warned. However, valuable technologicalsteps can be made in a few months� time. He added that working with Severskhas also historically been difficult, even more so following the recentreports of heavy Tom River contamination. Given these issues, a Centershould be established to study very specific problems, because he cannotpredict a change toward more openness coming from the Russian side, ortheir security philosophy. However, in Martellini�s view, it will be difficultto sell the EC on these kinds of projects, because the �proliferation concernis within the DNA of the European Community.� Further, strictly environmentalprograms may not catch the full-time attention of weapons scientists.

In discussion following his presentation, Bradley explained that nosuch energy and environment centers exist yet because the focus has historicallybeen on Chernobyl and the two fleets. �Who is affected by the Siberiancontamination?� he asked �No one but the Russians, and therefore thereis no European or US interest� in environmental management at these threesites.

In Bradley�s view, a host of focused, small-scale projects costing about$10,000 each would be a good way to claim early success. Basic research,and research into new environmental management technologies with internationalapplications should be conducted in this manner. However, the ENCI mustbe wary of the Russian ability to come up with a lot of ideas, becausenot all of them are good. The ENCI will need a good screening process,and have a strong scientific review of where proposed projects should go.He recommended looking at the history and feasibility of deep-well injection,�up-welling,� and containment of pollutants. There are solid research opportunitiesin the Mayak reservoirs, Bradley commented, and research in those areascould rejuvenate scientific interest in these sites through a couple ofsmall projects. [See below for a complete list of project proposalsmade at the meeting.]

Paul Moskowitz
Brookhaven National Laboratory

Moskowitz reported that the DOE objective in these closed cities isto:

• Incubate self-sustaining energy and environment businesses;
• Increase DOE Energy Efficiency portfolio; and
• Increase strategic partnerships within the USDOE and other agencies.

Moskowitz went on to outline the history of the Nuclear Harbors Project,which is intended to create self-sustaining businesses at the port citiesof the Russian nuclear navy. These sites pose a large proliferation risk,he stressed, due to the following:

• There remains a high inventory of fissile material and assembled weaponsunder varying degrees of control;
• An unstable social environment;
• Few employment opportunities; and
• These sites are ports.

Stephen V. Mladineo
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Mladineo provided a history of the DOE involvement in the Russian AmericanFuel Cell Consortium (RAFCO), which has developed a roadmap for implementingbilateral cooperation on development of fuel cells. The NCI has agreedto develop the business plan, while Credit Suisse-First Boston may fundother aspects of the project. The business plan must address:

• The fuel cell industry development;
• How to leverage government funding, and
• How to increase/improve the commercialization of U.S.-developed technology.

Morris reported that the CRDF search for fuel cell innovations withinRussia has so far been unsuccessful. While there has been some speculationthat aspects of Russian fuel cell technology may be viable (especiallyin membranes), there is still no proof of this advancement. Currently,RAO-UES and PNNL have executed an agreement to conduct a market surveyon the viability of fuel cells and implemented a search for partners.

Lew Waters
Consultant to DOE

Waters distributed a �Brief History of RAFCO� handout to all participants,detailing all the developments since RAFCO�s inception in 1996. Key pointsof Waters� presentation were that:

• The Russian space program has developed fuel cells for use in space vehicles;
• Russia brings significant manufacturing cost savings to any collaboration;
• Hand-built Russian units cost up to 70 percent less than similar unitspurchased in the U.S.; and
• Gazprom is interested in leasing stationary industrial units, based onthe results of a marketability study conducted by VNIIEF.

In Waters� view, liberalization of the Russian market and regulatoryprogress will be a bigger impact on the future of fuel cells and theirdevelopment It was recommended that research be conducted to identify problemsand weak links in fuel cell technology. There was some question about therole of intellectual property rights---possibly contributing to Russianreluctance to share fuel cell innovations---but it was stressed that ifa project is ISTC-funded, IPR are dealt with on a case-by-case basis. Martellinimentioned that representatives of the Italian fuel cell firm Danora isexpected to go to Sarov in January, and that Danora is primarily interestedin small fuel cell plants and localized sources.


Energy Efficiency

Bill Chandler
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Chandler opened his presentation by listing Battelle�s history of establishingEnergy Efficiency Centers around the world, including Russia (CENEf), Poland,Ukraine, Czech Republic, China, and Bulgaria. Each operation is now fullyindependent. The focus of these centers is on

• Policy reform;
• Technology transfer;
• Demonstration of technologies, and
• Providing public information.

• Is nongovernmental and not for profit;
• Employs local experts as Center managers,
• Garners three years of core funding, leading toward eventual self-sufficiency.

Challenges for the centers include both internal and external ones.Internal challenges include: establishment of a legal framework; organizationalstructure, business plan/self-sufficiency. External challenges are posedby changing laws, understanding the concept of �efficiency,� and tougheconomic conditions. A good way to start is to take a very small risk bydoing very small projects. �See if you get a deliverable,� he recommended,and continue to work with them only if they perform.

In a recent trip to Russia, Princeton University�s Frank von Hippelmet with a representative of a firm that carries out energy efficiencyimprovements in Sarov. He expressed interest in establishing an EnergyEfficiency Center. It was also proposed that if the U.S. DOE is interestedin funding a Center in Snezinsk, the Europeans might be willing to funda companion center in Sarov. Similarly, MINATOM Deputy Minister Lev Ryabevis interested in energy efficiency work. There is also interest in manufacturinghigh efficiency products, but would the operation have to move the operationoutside the fence?


Proposals


The following proposal ideas were distilled from the daylong meetingon Fuel Cells, Environment, and Energy Efficiency Opportunities held November10, 2000.

Environmental Management

• Examine the history and feasibility of deep-well injection, �up-welling,�and containment of/barriers for pollutants
• Examine a number of issues relating to drinking water quality (pollution,purification, transmission, recovery.) This focus on non-threatening, potentiallycommercial ventures will enhance support, and possibly diffuse securityconcerns.
• Model Surface Water Migration of the Mayak region. Currently, there isno model of this complex geological area
• Conduct a feasibility study on Carbon Injection/Carbon Sequestration
• Review the 30+ unfounded ISTC/IPP projects for new support
• Examine Current Water Heating Processes and the Ensuing Energy-Loss.

• Research the �weak links� in fuel cell technology to identify problemsand areas of improvement. Determine Russian manufacturing capabilitiesfrom a number of sources.
• Assemble an �Alternative Energy Project Package,� with input from Sarovand Snezinsk, with fuel cells as only a part of the whole.
• Conduct Modeling of Airborne Particulate Matter/Pollutants.
• Conduct Research in Regulatory Reform/Pricing /Appliance Labeling.
• Study Energy Transmission in the Regions
• Provide fellowships to young Russian scientists to study energy efficiencytechniques in European universities