With the theme of Clean Energy Promotes Green Transition, the sub-event in China Pavilion at the 28th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) was held at the Expo 2020 Dubai site in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on December 9.
The event was co-initiated by State Power Investment Corporation Limited (SPIC), China’s leading company in the development of clean energy, China Electricity Council (CEC) and China Energy International Group Co., Ltd. (Energy China), with an aim to showcase the vivid practice of China’s electric power industry in implementing the concept of green development, jointly building the Belt and Road with high quality, reaching bilateral and multilateral international cooperation in green electric power development and contributing wisdom and strength to the world in response to climate change. Representatives of the Chinese government and related clean energy industries attended the event and had a friendly and in-depth discussion and communication with other guests.
After years of development, China’s installed capacity of hydropower, wind power, photovoltaic power and biomass power has been on top of the world. The installed capacity of renewable energy exceeded 1.4 billion kilowatts by the end of October 2023, increasing 20.8% year on year and hitting another record high. This takes up 49.9% of China’s total installed capacity, surpassing that of thermal power. Meanwhile, about 50% of wind power equipment and 80% of photovoltaic equipment in the world came from China. In a report to the Pre-COP28, the International Renewable Energy Agency and the Global Renewable Alliance pointed out that three times more installed capacity of renewable energy and double energy efficiency are required to achieve the 1.5°C scenario target as scheduled. Promoting green transition with clean energy has become a globally recognized important measure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and deal with climate change.
In recent years, SPIC, a company representing China’s development of clean energy, took part in investment and construction of the 700 MW Ar Rass PV project and the 91 MW Layla PV project in Saudi Arabia. Upon completion, the two projects will supply 2.12 billion kilowatt hours of clean electricity to Saudi Arabia every year, meeting the needs of 80,000 local households. This is equivalent to an annual reduction of carbon dioxide emissions by 1.968 million tons. With this, the company has set a good example in the global green transition to clean energy.
Chen Yan, head of the Department of International Business of SPIC, said: “Probably unfamiliar for many people, SPIC is a big name in China. SPIC has taken green development as a top priority for corporate development since its establishment. To date, the company’s total installed capacity has exceeded 240 million kilowatts. SPIC has topped the world in clean energy and renewable energy. We are also constantly exploring more feasible paths for greater development of clean energy. We have discussed different patterns of business development with many partners. In addition to the development in China, we have already laid out the business plan in more than 40 foreign countries, with the installed capacity exceeding 9 GW. The electric power generated each year has also made an outstanding contribution to more than 40 countries. Therefore, I believe that SPIC is willing to make the best use of our advantages in clean energy and provide China and elsewhere in the world with the greenest energy possible at a challenging price."
This sub-event focused on new ideas and suggestions shared by Chinese clean energy developers in response to global climate change and acted as a window for the outside world to learn about how China has promoted green transition with clean energy. At the event, representatives of the International Atomic Energy Agency, BRI International Green Development Coalition, the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure in the UAE, ACWA Power, CEC and Shanghai Jiaotong University exchanged ideas about green transition to clean development and share relevant achievements.
