Partnership on green energy between China and the EU promotes cross-border sustainable development
According to experts, China plays a crucial role in helping both developed and developing countries make the transition towards a greener future in the global push towards that goal.
The largest plant in Europe was opened in 2022 by the renowned Spanish multinational electric utility company, Iberdrola group. Over 1,500 jobs are created and 334,000 households’ needs are met by the plant’s significant clean energy output, which is derived from the import of about 1.5 million solar panels from China.
China’s tremendous advancement in the renewable energy sector has been instrumental in driving the European Union’s (EU) green transition, as demonstrated by the Spanish PV plant.
Green cooperation that is win-win
The European Commission introduced the European Green Deal in 2019, with the goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The EU has promised to raise the mandatory share of renewable energy to at least 42.5 percent by 2030 in order to accomplish this. But with the share of renewable energy currently at about 23%, innovation is desperately needed.
In order for Europe to meet the required targets, Walburga Hemetsberger, CEO of SolarPower Europe, an association representing the European solar PV sector, has issued a warning. WindEurope, a significant wind energy association, has also emphasized the urgency of taking immediate action.
The production of green energy equipment is a well-established and competitive industry in China. The EU would need Chinese wind turbines and solar products in order to meet its 2030 emission reduction targets, according to Qin Yan, an Oxford Institute for Energy Studies researcher and lead analyst at Refinitiv.
Actually, cooperation with China on green energy has paid off recently for a number of European nations.
The president of Portugal’s Renewable Energy Association, Pedro Amaral Jorge, emphasized the expanding collaboration between China and Portugal in the field of solar energy. Portugal plans to install about 8 GW of solar power by 2026 or 2027, and reach 22 GW by 2030.
In an interview with Xinhua, Jorge stated, “Collaboration with China must increase to achieve the objectives set for increasing installed capacity.”
The Senj Wind Farm, constructed in China and inaugurated in December 2021, lowers Croatia’s annual carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 460,000 tonnes while producing approximately 530 million kWh of green electricity.
In an interview with Xinhua, Mladen Plese, a Croatian political analyst and expert on Asia, stated, “These are projects where the benefit of cooperation with large countries like China, which have the knowledge and potential to realize such large projects, can be seen.”
According to Senj Wind Farm chief engineer Zlatko Prpic, the project is a “miracle” and a brilliant example of China-Croatia collaboration. It is the largest of its kind in Croatia to date.
The primary contractor and builder of the farm is China’s Norinco International, a civil engineering firm.
According to Prpic, there is a great chance for Norinco International and other Chinese companies to showcase their state-of-the-art machinery and technology in major projects as Croatia and the EU accelerate their shift to green and renewable energy.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR COOPERATION
The United Nations has called on nations to prioritize energy-efficient practices, invest in renewable energy resources, and adopt clean energy technologies and infrastructure in order to expedite the transition to an affordable, dependable, and sustainable energy system.
According to experts, China plays a crucial role in helping both developed and developing countries make the transition towards a greener future in the global push towards this goal.
Plese emphasized the need for a united front in the fight against climate change that transcends national boundaries and political affiliations, saying, “The future of Europe and the world hinges on them.”
He declared, “China is developing technology, and we need Chinese companies to cooperate in that area as well.” “Cooperation with China is still welcome, and Croatia has the potential for similar green energy projects.”
The remarkable expansion of China’s PV cell and module industry over the last ten years was highlighted in the 2021 report submitted by the China Chamber of Commerce to the EU. As the region’s demand for photovoltaic products rises, Chinese businesses become the obvious choice to support the EU industrial chain because of their competitive pricing and large economies of scale.
The 130-year-old Marche des Abattoirs in Brussels now has solar panels from China and high-power density inverters made by Huawei, a Chinese telecom giant, adorning its roof. This is just one example of how effective these products are in providing sustainable energy solutions, as demonstrated by the Belgian renewable energy specialist ESE Group.
The 10,000 square meter steel roof of the building will have 5,400 solar panels installed as part of the project. The ESE design team customized a batch of unique solar panels that were made in China because they could not change the original building’s appearance or feel due to Belgian regulations regarding the preservation of cultural heritage.
“It is an excellent illustration of how to safeguard a listed building through the use of cutting-edge architectural solutions,” stated Paul Thielemans, the Anderlecht Abattoir’s director of public relations.
The comprehensive strategic partnership between Europe and China has made climate change cooperation a central focus, with promising future prospects.
A group of EU climate envoys, including those from Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and other member states, visited China in April and held fruitful talks with their Chinese counterparts. In order to strengthen global climate governance, both parties committed to stepping up climate dialogue and collaboration.
During his official visit to China in April, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited a hydrogen technology cooperation project between China and Germany in Chongqing, southwest China. This demonstrates China and Germany’s broad cooperation in the field of green energy and provides insight into it.
