How to drive the "two wheels" of energy cooperation
【Follow the Fifth China-Arab States Expo】
Energy cooperation is at the core of the China-Arab strategic partnership and the new pattern of bilateral cooperation.
At the Fifth China-Arab States Expo, which opened on August 19, China-Arab energy cooperation, as an important part of the "1+9" forum, attracted global attention.
In 2018, in his speech at the opening ceremony of the 8th Ministerial Conference of the China-Arab Cooperation Forum, President Xi Jinping proposed that it is necessary to actively promote the "two rounds" of oil and gas cooperation and low-carbon energy cooperation.
We must continue to promote the "oil and gas +" cooperation model, deepen cooperation in the entire industrial chain of oil and natural gas exploration, extraction, refining, storage and transportation, and comply with the global energy revolution, the vigorous development of green and low-carbon industries, and strengthen the peaceful use of nuclear, solar, and Cooperation in wind energy, hydropower and other fields will jointly build a Sino-Arab energy cooperation pattern featuring oil and gas traction, nuclear energy follow-up, and clean energy acceleration, and forge a mutually beneficial and long-term friendly Sino-Arab energy strategic cooperation relationship.
In recent years, what results have China-Arab energy cooperation achieved?
How to further drive the "two wheels" of energy cooperation?
At the China-Arab Energy Cooperation Summit Forum, leaders of the energy authorities of the Chinese and Arab governments, heads of leading companies in the energy industry, experts and scholars conducted in-depth docking through the “online + offline” approach and formed a broad consensus.
Energy transition, a major issue facing China and Arab countries
"With the joint efforts of both parties, China-Arab energy cooperation has achieved remarkable achievements in recent years." Zhang Jianhua, Director of the National Energy Administration, said in a speech at the China-Arab Energy Cooperation Summit. New cooperation results have been continuously achieved in trade and upstream development.
In 2020, Arab countries exported 278 million tons of crude oil to China, accounting for 51.3% of China's total crude oil imports, making it China's most important source of imports.
Chinese oil and gas companies actively participate in the development of upstream blocks in the UAE, Iraq and other countries.
In the power sector, Chinese energy companies actively participate in the construction of power infrastructure in Arab countries.
The State Grid Corporation of China participated in the transformation project of Egypt's 500 kV main power grid, and completed the installation of 5 million smart meters and supporting systems in Saudi Arabia.
At present, global carbon neutrality is the general trend.
China will strive to achieve a carbon peak by 2030 and strive to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060; Arab countries are also actively seeking energy transitions to change the situation of relying on fossil energy-both China and Arab countries are faced with ensuring energy security and realization A major issue in the energy transition.
Nasser Aldosli, Senior Advisor for Foreign Affairs to the Minister of Energy of Saudi Arabia, said: “As the world’s leading energy producer, Saudi Arabia recognizes that reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a top priority, and China has always been a staunch supporter of a low-carbon economy. We are working with China is working together to develop renewable energy in Saudi Arabia. Our goal is that by 2030, renewable energy power generation can account for 50% of the total power generation."
A set of data provided by Yi Yuechun, deputy dean of the General Institute of Hydropower and Water Conservancy Planning and Design, shows that from a global and China-Arab perspective, renewable energy has been transformed from the incremental supplement of energy and power consumption to the main body of increase.
In 2020, affected by the epidemic, against the background of the decline in global energy consumption and electricity consumption, renewable energy power generation is growing against the trend.
In 2020, the total global power generation decreased by 177.8 billion kWh compared with the previous year, but the renewable energy power generation increased by 441.8 billion kWh compared with the previous year.
In recent years, China has vigorously promoted the energy transition.
As of the end of 2020, China's total installed capacity of renewable energy power generation accounts for 1/3 of the world's total, and the installed capacity of hydropower, wind power, photovoltaic power generation, and biomass power generation ranks first in the world.
China also proposed that the total installed capacity of wind and solar will reach 1.2 billion kilowatts in 2030.
"China is willing to work with Algeria to unswervingly follow the path of energy transformation, further promote the'oil and gas +'cooperation model, continue to expand cooperation in the fields of solar energy, wind energy, hydropower, nuclear power, and hydrogen energy, and continue to improve the level of energy cooperation between China and Algeria. "Zhang Jianhua puts forward three suggestions: First, continue to deepen cooperation in the oil and gas field, and work hard to deepen cooperation in the entire industry chain in the fields of oil and natural gas exploration, extraction, storage and transportation, and refining in accordance with the principle of mutual benefit; the second is to speed up Promote energy and low-carbon transformation, develop and utilize the wind and wind resources in the Middle East according to local conditions, promote local energy transformation and green development, and create new cooperation highlights in the new generation of clean and low-carbon energy technologies such as hydrogen energy, energy storage, and smart grid; 3. It is an efficient and smooth cooperation platform. In 2019, China and 29 countries jointly initiated the establishment of the "Belt and Road" energy partnership. All countries are welcome to join the partnership to jointly build a green and low-carbon global energy governance pattern.
Nuclear energy follow-up, a new fulcrum for Sino-Arab energy cooperation
As a low-carbon energy, nuclear power has the advantages of high energy density, stable baseload power, large stand-alone capacity, small footprint, low long-term operating costs, easy nuclear fuel storage, and can effectively improve energy self-sufficiency. It is playing a role in the global energy transition. An increasingly important role.
Since China exported its first large-scale nuclear facility to Arab countries in 1983, nuclear energy has gradually become a new fulcrum for China and Arab countries to maintain and deepen their close cooperative relations.
The China-Arab Energy Cooperation Summit Forum has set up a dedicated nuclear power section.
On August 20th, Salem Hamdi, Director General of the Arab Atomic Energy Agency, said in a speech at the forum: “Recently, the first unit of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the UAE has been successfully connected to the grid, and Egypt has begun construction of its first nuclear power plant. Many Arab countries Both said that they will consider including nuclear energy in their development strategies to achieve energy diversification and its development and environmental protection goals."
As the only company in China that has a complete nuclear industry chain and has exported nuclear power plants, China National Nuclear Corporation has successfully exported 7 nuclear power units, 7 research reactors and 1 subcritical device to 8 countries.
Since the 1980s, China has successively signed agreements on the peaceful use of nuclear energy with Algeria, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
China National Nuclear Corporation exported 3 nuclear facilities to Algeria, Syria, and Jordan, donated high-end large-scale medical equipment with independent intellectual property rights to Morocco, provided Saudi Arabia with uranium resource exploration services, and served 14 Arab League members including Tunisia, Egypt, and Algeria. China has provided more than 400 special trainings on nuclear energy.
“The China-Arab Expo is an important platform for Chinese companies to carry out practical cooperation with Arab countries and other countries along the “Belt and Road” under the framework of the joint construction of the'Belt and Road.' Understand and deepen mutual trust, promote China-Arab nuclear energy cooperation to achieve more pragmatic results, and drive the further expansion of China-Arab nuclear industry-wide cooperation." The areas of cooperation among the Arab League countries include the creation of a diversified cooperation system including nuclear power, new energy, and civil engineering.
China National Nuclear Corporation will follow the global green and low-carbon industry development direction, build a future-oriented, mutually beneficial and long-term friendly Sino-Arab energy strategic cooperation relationship, and build a China-Arab community of shared future.
Clean energy, accelerating in technological innovation
At the China-Arab Energy Summit Forum, clean energy such as solar energy and hydrogen energy were regarded as important development directions for the global energy decarbonization transformation.
Ningxia is located in the western inland of China and has unique advantages in energy resources. With the strong support of the National Energy Administration, it has built China’s first comprehensive demonstration area for new energy and an important base for the “West-to-East Power Transmission” and has become China’s clean energy development. And the "vanguard" of the traditional energy transition.
As of now, Ningxia’s installed power capacity has exceeded 60 million kilowatts, and its power generation has exceeded 170 billion kilowatt-hours. The per capita installed power and power generation capacity ranks first in the country. Among them, the installed capacity of wind power and photovoltaic power generation have exceeded 10 million kilowatts, and the proportion of new energy power installed capacity has reached 44 %, the utilization rate of new energy exceeds 97%, ranking the forefront of the country; the clean energy manufacturing industry has begun to take shape, especially the monocrystalline silicon ingot production capacity reached 41GW, accounting for about 1/6 of the global production capacity.
"This year, the world's lowest PV on-grid electricity price record was set in Saudi Arabia. At one time, a kilowatt-hour of electricity was only 1.04 cents, or about 7 cents, making it the cheapest clean power source in the world." said Wang Yingge, deputy general manager of Longi Hydrogen Technology Co., Ltd. "Green electricity + green hydrogen" is an ideal model. According to Saudi Arabia's photovoltaic electricity price of 1.04 cents/kWh, the cost of producing green hydrogen is less than 10 yuan/kg, which is more environmentally friendly and economical than the gray hydrogen produced by fossil energy.
Not only can it reduce the consumption of fossil energy in the Arab region and promote the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, but it will also help the Arab region to realize the transition from fossil energy to clean energy in the next few decades.
Longji started to invest in Ningxia in 2006 and formed a layout of the entire industry chain.
In recent years, it has established extensive marketing and service systems in Arab countries.
Among them, the photovoltaic project in Harsa, Qatar, will be the third largest single photovoltaic project in the world after its completion, using tracking systems and double-sided double glass modules.
"The 2022 World Cup will be held in Qatar. This photovoltaic power station will also supply power to the World Cup venues and can meet about 10% of the local power demand peak." Wang Yingge said.
"Since the 1990s, Shanghai Electric has been working in the Arab League. It currently has offices in the UAE, Iraq, Egypt and other countries. The DEWA Phase IV 950MW solar power station we built in Dubai is a global The largest solar thermal power station with the largest installed capacity." Yuan Yi, vice president of Shanghai Electric Power Station Group, said that from the construction of traditional energy sources in the past, to the rapid follow-up of the new energy trend and becoming one of the major players in the energy sector in the region, Shanghai Electric has achieved From the early stage project development, the mid-term project construction, to the later stage project operation and maintenance all-round support, it is expected that through the platform of the China-Arab States Expo, the two sides will further strengthen the top-level design and promote energy cooperation in an all-round way.
As the permanent venue of the China-Arab Expo, Ningxia faces important opportunities in China-Arab energy cooperation.
Zhao Yongqing, member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Executive Vice Chairman of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, said in his speech: "Ningxia will focus on photovoltaic, wind power, hydropower, hydrogen energy and other fields, accelerate development, efficient utilization, and innovative development, and strive to make new energy scientific development and efficient utilization. Lead the demonstration, create a new energy innovation highland, a new energy policy highland and a new energy industry highland, maximize the potential of green energy resources such as wind and solar energy, and accelerate the construction of a clean, low-carbon, safe and efficient modern energy system."
(Our newspaper Yinchuan, August 21st, our reporter Wang Jianhong, Zhang Wenpan, Zou Fangli)