Barack Obama and Hu Jintao are set to unveil a deal to boost clean energy co-operation between the two countries in Beijing next week, writes Edward Luce in Washington. But the agreement, which will include joint research projects on carbon capture technology and electric cars, is unlikely to include a breakthrough on climate change before the Copenhagen summit in December, say officials.

White House officials say that the emerging deal to enhance bilateral clean energy co-operation will top the list of “deliverables” of Mr Obama's first state visit to China as president. Many had been hoping that the US could use the moment to cut through the impasse between the developed and developing world ahead of Copenhagen, given that the US and China account for roughly 40 per cent of global carbon emissions.

That looks unlikely to happen. Instead, both sides will stress the potential for co-operation on producing breakthrough technologies, particularly in the area of carbon sequestration given that both rely on coal for internal power generation. “It makes huge sense for the US and China to work together on clean coal,” said a senior US official.