U.S., Canada get industry energy input

WASHINGTON, June 30 (UPI) -- U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu says the United States and Canada, by working together, can spark an economic recovery benefiting both nations.

Chu made the statement during opening remarks Monday at the first U.S.-Canada Clean Energy Dialogue Roundtable at the Department of Energy in Washington. The meeting was arranged for leaders from private industry to meet with U.S. and Canadian energy officials to obtain industry input on goals and activities.

"By working together to develop clean energy technologies and combat climate change, the United States and Canada can spark an economic recovery that will benefit both of our nations," Chu said. "I'm pleased to lead this effort on behalf of the United States because the possibilities for progress are real and undeniable, and we must seize them. By listening to the perspective of private industry at this first meeting, we can set an ambitious but achievable course for this dialogue, as we work to further both of our nations' clean energy goals."

The two-day meeting was designed to solicit private sector input on the most productive activities to undertake and ways to accelerate deployment of new clean energy technologies into the marketplace, officials said.