Cooperation targets production of powerful global mix

Faced with many challenges, including environmental pollution and climate change, energy reform and global cooperation are becoming ever more urgent for all participants to ensure a cleaner supply chain.

At the G20 Summit in Hangzhou, global leaders will discuss crucial issues, including an improved and more-comprehensive energy cooperation system between countries.

In August, the State Grid Corporation of China, the world's largest State-owned electricity utility, outlined a plan to build a pilot zone in West China to increase the proportion of on-grid clean power in the mix, which will be used to build a Europe-Asia energy connection, and to bring wind power from the Arctic in the future.

The zone is part of the "Global Energy Interconnection", a vast high-voltage transmission network that was proposed two years ago by Liu Zhenya, State Grid's former president.

It is a vision for a massive global electricity grid powered by renewable sources.

In March, the Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organization was established in Beijing.

Its 80 members include Chinese power companies, industrial associations, universities, banks and power companies from Japan, Russia and Brazil, in addition to foreign enterprises such as ABB and Siemens.

"Global energy interconnection is a must on the path to energy reform and sustainable development," Liu said.

"As the (world's) largest energy system, the network will provide huge economic, social and environmental benefits, and bring a blue and bright global village."

China is leading the world to a more-renewable future by installing greater solar and wind power generation capacities than any other country.

According to data from the National Energy Administration, China's installed solar power generation capacity reached 20 gigawatts in the first half of this year, almost equal to the total installed solar power generation capacities in 2013 and 2014.

The China Photovoltaic Industry Alliance has predicted that the country will add 5 to 10 GW of capacity in the second half.

In addition to maintaining the increase in renewable domestic power, China wants to lead the world to a cleaner future through power interconnection.

From the technical perspective, time differences will allow the Eastern and Western hemispheres to supplement each other's electricity needs, and seasonal differences will enable the Southern and Northern hemispheres to supplement each other's power systems.

In this way, the efficiency of global power distribution will be vastly improved.

The plan will give renewable-rich nations, such as Australia, the opportunity to become major exporters of clean energy.

"President Xi Jinping has proposed the Belt and Road Initiative, which has strengthened international cooperation in energy safety," said Zeng Ming, a professor at the North China Electric Power University in Beijing.

"The aim of the Global Energy Interconnection is to build a new energy utilization system that can accelerate the reform of energy production policies, plus those for transportation and consumption, in different parts in the world. China should grasp this opportunity."

Cao Peixi, general manager of China Huaneng Group, said the network could accelerate the development of renewable energy, which would be beneficial in helping the Chinese power industry to explore markets overseas.