China-SCO green efforts deepening

Renewable energy cooperation between China and other Shanghai Cooperation Organization countries has gained significant momentum in recent years, driving substantial growth in green energy capacity across the vast region and contributing significantly to global decarbonization efforts, industry experts and company executives said.

This burgeoning collaboration involves projects totaling approximately 96.3 gigawatts of installed capacity of renewable energy, according to a report released by the China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Energy Ministers Meeting held in Ningbo, Zhejiang province on Thursday.

According to the report, solar and wind power projects make up 80 percent of the installed capacity. The initiative is characterized by significant Chinese investment and engineering expertise, alongside growing exports of Chinese renewable energy equipment to the region, it said.

Wang Hongzhi, head of the National Energy Administration, said China is willing to work with SCO countries, focusing on long-term sustainable cooperation, to jointly accelerate the green and low-carbon transition of energy.

According to Li Sheng, director general of the CREEI, the increasing complementarity of resources, markets and technology among SCO countries, which are rich in renewable energy resources, suggests broad prospects for renewable energy cooperation.

The scale of China's exports of wind and solar power equipment to SCO countries continues to expand, said Li, citing rapid growth in exports of photovoltaic modules to countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

"Chinese companies have facilitated the completion of a series of landmark green projects in the SCO region, which demonstrate strong economic and comprehensive benefits and high replicability," he said.

"SCO countries are increasingly cooperating on renewable energy, marked by large-scale project development, stronger regional energy links, deeper coordination with traditional energy, more localized industrial chains, and accelerated technology and knowledge transfer."

Given China's rapid advancements and extensive experience in renewable energy technology and large-scale project development, collaboration with China is seen as a key pathway for SCO countries.

ACWA Power, a Riyadh, Saudi Arabia-based energy and water desalination giant, remains deeply committed to investing in China and is set to deepen its foothold in China's rapidly growing renewable energy sector, said its top executive.

Mohammad A. Abunayyan, chairman of ACWA Power, expressed strong optimism in the country's renewable energy market and long-term economic prospects, and plans to further expand its presence to meet growing demand in the country. China represents a key opportunity for ACWA Power to scale its expertise in green energy solutions, he said.

After cooperating with Chinese energy partners in the third market for years, the Middle East energy conglomerate has formally entered China's renewable energy landscape this year.

According to the CREEI, SCO countries are deeply advancing the large-scale development of renewable energy, actively introducing green transition development strategies, and continuously increasing the proportion of renewable energy generation.

In the energy sector, the SCO's share of global energy production and consumption continues to increase, which is of great significance to the world's energy transition.

Analysts highlight that China's comprehensive industrial chain system for renewable energy, from design and manufacturing to construction, is a primary factor in its global leadership position.