[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 19 (Thursday, January 29, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4871-4873]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-01635]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


U.S.-Japan Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policy Business 
Roundtable Tokyo, Japan, February 23, 2015

AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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Event Description

    The U.S. Department of Commerce's (DOC) International Trade 
Administration (ITA) is seeking representatives from up to 25 qualified 
U.S. companies to join Japanese industry counterparts for a U.S.-Japan 
Renewable Energy Policy Business Roundtable (Business Roundtable) on 
Monday, February 23 in Tokyo, Japan. Senior level officials from DOC, 
the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and Japanese Ministry of Economy, 
Trade and Industry (METI) will attend the Roundtable to provide policy 
updates, as well as to ensure that the exchange of views among the 
companies will be taken into consideration in the U.S-Japan Clean 
Energy Policy Dialogue

[[Page 4872]]

(CEPD) that will be held during the same week and in other bilateral 
meetings throughout the year. U.S. firms will also be given an 
opportunity to network with Japanese firms and identify potential 
business partners. ITA hopes that this cooperation between the U.S. and 
Japanese private sectors in this dynamic sector will lead to 
innovations that will provide solutions to energy needs and enhance 
bilateral economic development. The U.S. Department of Commerce's 
Global Markets and U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service (CS) will also be 
available in Tokyo to provide its export counseling services to 
participating companies.
    This event is conveniently scheduled concurrent with World Smart 
Energy Week (WSEW) in Tokyo (February 25-27), a DOC-certified trade 
show, providing firms attending the Business Roundtable an opportunity 
to also participate in the year's largest smart energy-related Trade 
Show in Japan.
    The third meeting of the Business Roundtable supports ITA's 
commitments contained in the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency 
(RE&EE) Export Initiative, which aims to significantly increase U.S. 
RE&EE exports under the National Export Initiative. It also aims to 
continue the process of enhancing the policy work being done at the 
CEPD by the DOE and METI, by ensuring the private sector remains 
engaged in policy developments in both countries.

Commercial Setting

    The March 11, 2011 great east Japan earthquake and Fukushima 
Daiichi nuclear disaster exposed major weaknesses in Japan's national 
energy strategy and prompted calls for electricity system reform. The 
decision to take Japan's nuclear reactors offline pending demonstrated 
compliance with strict new safety standards after 3.11 led to a renewed 
focus on looking to renewables for Japan's energy needs and prompted 
calls for a new electricity system reform plan. In 2012, Japan 
implemented a Feed-in-Tariff program to promote the renewable sector. 
The Japanese renewable energy market is both large and widespread, 
encompassing multiple renewable energy subsectors. The sheer size of 
Japan's renewable energy expansion, and the investment opportunity it 
has created, should provide opportunities for U.S. exporters capable of 
providing cutting-edge technologies and services to the market. In 
addition, Japan's plan to deregulate its energy generation, 
distribution, and retail markets will lead to additional opportunities 
in the energy generation and storage sectors. The U.S.-Japan Renewable 
Energy Policy Business Roundtable is an opportunity to meet with senior 
level Japanese officials and representatives of Japanese companies to 
learn about and exchange views on these market developments.

Event Goals

    The Business Roundtable is an event to bring U.S. and Japanese 
private sector firms in the renewable energy and energy efficiency 
sectors together to discuss policy developments in both countries, to 
develop partnerships, and to provide input to policymakers in both 
countries. The Business Roundtable is intended to be:
     A venue for U.S. firms to meet important Japanese policy-
makers in the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors.
     A venue where U.S. and Japanese firms can share 
experiences, expertise, and lessons learned in areas related to smart 
energy, including energy deregulation, energy management, energy 
storage, and renewable energy.
     A venue where U.S. and Japanese firms can discuss key 
technical challenges related to the above sectors.
     A venue to foster collaboration between the U.S. and 
Japanese private sector to solve other challenges related to renewable 
energy.
     An opportunity for companies from both the United States 
and Japan to network, build relationships, and identify partners for 
current projects and potential joint future work.

Event Scenario

    In December 2012, agencies of the Governments of the United States 
and Japan--DOE, DOC, and METI--convened the first bilateral Renewable 
Energy Policy Business Roundtable in Tokyo. Held in conjunction with 
the CEPD, the Roundtable allowed the private sector to explore areas of 
mutual concern and share with government officials their experiences 
with the policy landscape of renewable energy and energy efficiency. 
The second Roundtable was held in December 2013 in Livermore, 
California, once again bringing U.S. and Japanese firms to discuss 
developments in the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors.
    Participating firms will:
     Gain a deeper understanding of the changing Japanese 
policy and regulatory landscape with respect to RE&EE
     Interact with Japanese policymakers and private sector 
representatives active in the RE&EE sector;
     Provide perspectives on how to increase U.S.-Japan 
business partnerships in the RE&EE sector;
     Enhance the bilateral dialogue by identifying key policy 
issues and sharing best practices;
     Participate in a plenary session getting a briefing on the 
status of renewable energy policy in Japan;
     Participate in panel or breakout discussions focusing on 
Energy Storage and Renewable Integration or Energy Management and 
Energy Efficiency. Firms with appropriate experience or technologies 
will be asked to present during these discussions;
     Exchange views on topics related to Renewable Energy and 
Energy Efficiency;
     Attend a networking reception with leaders from Japan's 
Government and industry; and,
     Take advantage of the Commercial Service in Tokyo's 
business advisory services, if desired by the U.S. participant firms, 
should CS Japan resources be able to accommodate such interest.
     REED, the organizer of WSEW, will provide Roundtable 
participants above the division manager level with WSEW VIP passes and 
will arrange for these Roundtable participants to attend the Keynote/
Special Sessions at WSEW 2015.

Proposed Schedule

February 23
    Participate in a plenary session on the status of renewable energy 
market in Japan.
    Participate in breakout sessions with Japanese firms.
    Participate in networking opportunities with Japanese firms.
    Receive a briefing on World Smart Energy Week, taking place 
February 25-27 in Tokyo.
    Attend a networking reception with leaders from Japan's Government 
and industry.
    Information can be found at: http://export.gov/reee/japan or http://export.gov/trademissions/index.asp.

Participation Requirements

    All parties interested in participating in the Business Roundtable 
must complete and submit an application package for consideration by 
the Department of Commerce. All applicants will be evaluated based on 
their ability to meet certain conditions and best satisfy the selection 
criteria as outlined below. A maximum of 25 companies will be selected 
to participate in the Business Roundtable from the applicant pool. U.S. 
companies already doing business in Japan as well as U.S. companies 
seeking to enter to the Japanese market for the first time

[[Page 4873]]

may apply. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis in the 
order that they are received.

Fees and Expenses

    Companies selected to participate in the Roundtable will be 
required to pay a fee for participation. The participation fee is $700 
for large firms. The participation fee is $500 for small or medium-
sized firms.\1\ The fee for each additional representative of the 
selected company is $500. Up to four additional representatives can be 
accommodated per company. The Roundtable and related events may be 
cancelled at any time by the Department of Commerce and all 
contributions refunded. If, for any reason, a company withdraws from 
participation prior to the Roundtable, the Department of Commerce, at 
its sole discretion, and upon its determination that it would be 
consistent with its authorities, may allow a partial refund of the 
contributed fee.
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    \1\ An SME is defined as a firm with 500 or fewer employees or 
that otherwise qualifies as a small business under SBA regulations 
(see http://www.sba.gov/size). Parent companies, affiliates, and 
subsidiaries will be considered when determining business size. The 
dual pricing reflects the Commercial Service's user fee schedule 
that became effective May 1, 2008. For additional information, see 
http://www.export.gov/newsletter/march2008/initiatives.html.
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Exclusions

    The conference fee does not include any personal travel expenses 
such as airfare, lodging, most meals, incidentals, and local ground 
transportation and personal interpreters. Delegation members will be 
able to take advantage of U.S. Embassy rates for hotel rooms. Business 
visas may be required. Government fees and processing expenses to 
obtain such visas are also not included in the Business Roundtable 
costs. However, the U.S. Department of Commerce will provide 
instructions to each participant on the procedures required to obtain 
necessary business visas.

Conditions for Participation

    Applicants must submit a completed mission application signed by a 
company official, together with supplemental application materials, 
including adequate information on the company's products and/or 
services, interest in doing business in Japan, and goals for 
participation by February 6, 2015. If the U.S. Department of Commerce 
receives an incomplete application, the U.S. Department of Commerce may 
reject the application, request additional information, or take the 
lack of information into account in its evaluation.
    Each applicant must also certify that the products and services it 
seeks to export through its participation in the Business Roundtable 
are either produced in the United States, or, if not, are marketed 
under the name of a U.S. firm and have at least fifty-one percent U.S. 
content.
    Applications can be found at http://export.gov/trademissions/index.asp or can be obtained by contacting [email protected].
    In addition, the applicant must address how he/she satisfies the 
four selection criteria listed below in an email to 
[email protected]:
    (1) Whether the applicant represents a U.S. company that fits one 
of the following profiles:
     Companies that manufacture technology or provide services 
in the renewable energy sector;
     Developers of renewable energy projects with global 
experience;
     Local utilities who are willing to share their experience 
with domestic policies; and
     Companies active in the smart grid and energy efficiency 
industries.
    (2) The applicant's interest in the Japanese RE&EE sector;
    (3) The applicant's ability to identify and discuss policy issues 
relevant to U.S. competitiveness in the renewable energy or smart grid 
sectors;
    (4) Consistency of the applicant's experiences and background with 
the stated scope of the event.
    Referrals from political organizations and any documents containing 
references to partisan political activities (including political 
contributions) will be removed from an applicant's submission and not 
considered during the selection process.

Timeframe for Recruitment and Participation

    Recruitment for the Business Roundtable will be conducted in an 
open and public manner, including publication in the Federal Register, 
posting on CS Japan's Web site, notices by industry trade associations 
and other multiplier groups, and publicity through the Commercial 
Service network. Recruitment will begin immediately and conclude no 
later than February 6, 2015. The U.S. Department of Commerce will 
review applications and make selection decisions beginning on or about 
January 20, 2014. Applications received after February 6, 2015 will be 
considered only if space and scheduling constraints permit.

DATES: The Business Roundtable will take place February 23, 2015. 
Applications are due no later than February 6, 2015.

Contacts

Danius Barzdukas, Office of East Asia and APEC, International Trade 
Administration, Department of Commerce, 202-482-1147, 
[email protected].
Andrew S. Bennett, Office of Energy and Environmental Industries, 
International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 
202.482.5235, [email protected].
Gregory Taevs, U.S. Commercial Service Tokyo, International Trade 
Administration, Department of Commerce, +81-3-3224-5070, 
[email protected].

Frank Spector,
International Trade Specialist.
[FR Doc. 2015-01635 Filed 1-28-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-P