Manchester hosts China-UK clean energy forum

Cooperation in clean energy between China and the United Kingdom was discussed at the 2024 China-UK Clean Energy Forum in Manchester on Tuesday.

The forum attracted around 120 attendees, including government officials, specialists from the industry, and investors.

The event was founded in April 2022, following a memorandum of understanding being reached between Manchester and Wuhan in Central China's Hubei province on exchange and cooperation in the hydrogen industry. The two cities were officially twinned in 1986.

This year, the focus of discussion expanded from hydrogen energy to encompass the full spectrum of clean energy, aiming to create a broader platform for interested parties on both sides to collaborate.

A new action plan was also signed at the event between Wuhan and Manchester to guide exchange activities in 2025, with a strong focus on clean energy and hydrogen cooperation and diversified exchange conduits.

In the opening ceremony, China’s Ambassador to the UK Zheng Zeguang said in his congratulatory letter that the potential for Sino-British mutual, beneficial cooperation in clean and renewable energy is vast.

Referencing the meeting between President Xi Jinping and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in November on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the ambassador noted that clean energy was highlighted by leaders of both sides as one of the key areas for cooperation.

“China and the UK should act upon this important consensus and support local governments and businesses of both countries in strengthening dialogue and collaboration in the field,” he said. “By doing so, we will be able to make contributions to the green transition in our respective countries and beyond.”

Tang Rui, consul general of the Chinese Consulate General in Manchester, said China attaches great importance to addressing climate change and has demonstrated its commitment by boosting clean energy development and cutting emissions.

“By the end of July 2024, China’s installed wind and solar power capacity reached 1.206 billion kilowatts, meeting its pledged targets more than six years ahead of schedule and surpassing installed coal power capacity,” he said.

“Coal consumption has dropped from 68.5 percent in 2012 to 55.3 percent in 2023, while the share of nonfossil fuels increased from 9.7 percent to 17.9 percent.

“Just last month, China became the first country to surpass an annual production of 10 million new energy vehicles, accounting for over 60 percent of global production and sales, ranking first in the world for nine consecutive years.”

As the UK is dedicated to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, Tang said China and the UK “have every reason” to enhance dialogue and exchanges and called for both sides to uphold open cooperation.

“Protectionism, suppression, decoupling, and severing of supply chains only destabilize industrial supply chains,” he pointed out. “Both China and the UK should firmly oppose such actions. It is hoped that the UK independently chooses its green development path, providing diverse options for its people and contributing to its net-zero goals.”

“China’s door to openness will only open wider. We will foster a first-rate business environment that is market-oriented, law-based and internationalized. We welcome British enterprises to deepen cooperation with China in green sectors,” he added.

Bev Craig, leader of Manchester City Council, said Manchester has set ambitious targets to be net-zero in carbon emissions by 2038, with a 15-year renewable energy agreement announced last month and many other actions underway.

Whilst the city is making progress towards its goal, Craig acknowledged that there is still so much work that needs to be done.

“Our relationship to China stands from a rich, shared history of industrial innovation,” she said. As Manchester’s connections with China continue to yield results in recent years in investment, education, culture, and tourism, the forum serves as a unique opportunity for China and the UK to share their respective expertise in clean energy to maximize the economic growth potential and achieve climate targets of each other, Craig said.

Zhu Kucheng, vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of Wuhan Municipal People’s Congress, led a delegation to the forum and highlighted the city’s efforts in establishing a hydrogen energy industry cluster and expanding into other clean energy sectors, including solar, wind, geothermal power, and more.

As Wuhan and Manchester share ambitions to drive green development, and similarities in geographic location and industrial composition, Zhu said further efforts will be made to enhance two-way visits, cooperation on industrial projects, and exchanges between universities and research organizations.

Four panel discussions were held on China-UK clean energy cooperation pathways, innovation in clean energy technologies, investment prospects in the field, and the sharing of cooperation projects.

Representatives from Tongwei Solar, Sungrow Power, Midea Group, WorldFirst, Net Zero North West, the University of Manchester, Wuhan University of Technology, and many others shared their insights on cooperation opportunities and the challenges ahead.

David Houliston, head of city policy of Manchester City Council, told China Daily that Manchester could learn from China’s experiences in deploying the clean energy industry nationwide, particularly in translating national targets into local actions.

“The scale of that deployment is really important for us to learn from. It’s not the end goal of when we become net zero, it’s how quickly we can get there,” he said.

Though China-UK relations have had ups and downs over the past decade, Houliston said the cooperation between Manchester and Wuhan has continued. Despite that, having signals or support from the high level “does make a difference”, he pointed out.

“As we’ve said at the forum, clean energy was specifically referenced at the G20 meeting. Again, it gives further credibility that this agenda is the right agenda.”

The forum this year was organized by the Manchester Chinatown Business Association and the North England Chinese Enterprise Association.

zhengwanyin@mail.chinadailyuk.com