A total of 33 participants from six countries, including Mauritius, Laos and Malaysia, participated in the "Seminar on Low-carbon Energy Transition and Carbon Peak and Carbon Neutrality in Developing Countries" held by China University of Petroleum (Beijing). Through the 14-day study and visit, these foreign students have a deeper understanding and perception of topics such as carbon neutrality path, energy transition thinking, and the relationship between old and new energy sources.
▲The closing ceremony of the "Seminar on Low-carbon Energy Transformation and Carbon Peak and Carbon Neutrality in Developing Countries". China University of Petroleum (Beijing) / Courtesy photo
From June 4th to 17th, China University of Petroleum (Beijing) held the "Seminar on Low-carbon Energy Transformation and Carbon Peak and Carbon Neutrality in Developing Countries", which was attended by 33 students from six countries, including Mauritius, Laos and Malaysia. Through the 14-day study and visit, these foreign students have a deeper understanding and perception of topics such as carbon neutrality path, energy transition thinking, and the relationship between old and new energy sources.
The reporter of "China Energy News" interviewed 6 of the trainees: Deputy Director of the Ministry of Electricity and Energy of Sri Lanka Garwavig Gularasna, Director of the Compliance Department of the Ethiopian Audit Commission Solomon Gebremeskel, Senior Engineer of the Central Electricity Authority of Mauritius Dhununjoy Rakesh Kumar, Associate Professor of UTAR Head of Programme of Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman Malaysia Tan Kok Weng, Kesonethip Khensabab, Technician, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Laos, and Boualy Vongvisith, Deputy Director, Ministry of Energy and Minerals, Laos. They affirmed China's openness and inclusiveness, and its active promotion of mutual learning, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation.
China Energy News: What have you gained from this study? In your opinion, what is the significance of this type of training?
Garvavig Gularasna: Thank you for organizing this workshop as a platform for sharing knowledge, experience and innovative solutions. Sri Lanka and China have very close cooperation and hope that they will work together to promote the energy transition and work together for the sustainable development of human society.
Such workshops can share China's wisdom and solutions, strengthen the exchange of energy policy information between countries, encourage participants to apply what they have learned, and play a greater role in promoting exchanges and cooperation between countries and China in energy, climate, environmental protection and sustainable development.
Solomon Gebremeskel: Through nearly half a month of study and investigation, I have a deeper understanding of topics such as energy transition and international cooperation. The energy transition is the lifeline of sustainable economic development, and promoting energy transition requires a balance between energy security and green development, which is not only a challenge, an opportunity, but also a responsibility, and countries can work together to achieve this goal.
China Energy News: How do you understand China's new energy security strategy?
Dhununjoy Rakesh Kumar: Through this workshop, I have learned a lot of new knowledge and gained a deeper understanding of China's new energy security strategy.
China has many advantages in energy, resources and manpower, and at present, China's "new three" represented by new energy vehicles, lithium batteries and photovoltaic products has contributed to the global low-carbon cause. China can further demonstrate these advantages in a larger, deeper and higher-quality international cooperation, especially to countries and regions with high green development costs and slower energy transitions.
For Mauritius, we hope to reach a cooperation agreement with China to achieve a win-win outcome. China has a very high penetration rate of electric vehicles and a strong development momentum in the industry, which makes us very envious. In fact, in less developed countries such as Mauritius, the cost of owning an electric vehicle is very high, on the one hand, it is expensive, and on the other hand, it is due to poor infrastructure such as power grids, charging piles, etc. We hope to learn from China's technology and experience, and partner with China to further drive the electrification of our country's transportation sector."
China Energy News: At present, countries around the world have successively put forward carbon neutrality goals and designed paths to achieve carbon neutrality. In your opinion, how should the energy and economic transition go under the goal of carbon neutrality?
Chen Guorong: The goal of carbon neutrality is full of challenges, and we must evaluate our green energy strength with strategic thinking, not blindly follow the trend and follow suit, and find a carbon neutrality path that is most suitable for us is the key.
Kesonethip Khensabab: Globally, achieving carbon neutrality is a global trend. The premise of exploring the path to carbon neutrality is to deeply understand the urgency of the climate change crisis. At a time when the world's major economies are seeing the climate crisis as one of the main issues, we need to understand that addressing the climate problem is a global responsibility that requires serious thinking and rapid action.
On this basis, it is important for all countries to explore a carbon neutrality path suitable for their own national conditions. Regardless of the path taken, the indispensable elements are basically the same: the development of green energy sources such as solar, wind, hydropower, and hydrogen, while also ensuring low costs, high efficiency, and energy security.
China Energy News: To anchor the goal of carbon neutrality, we must solidly promote green transformation. In your opinion, how can the green transition be completed faster and more efficiently?
Boualy Vongvisith: We should formulate energy transition plans that are in line with our own sustainable development according to the characteristics of each country's economic structure, the advantages of energy and resource endowments, geographical and climatic conditions and other factors.
Taking Laos as an example, we are trying to formulate a green hydrogen and green ammonia development strategy, which will become a key link in Laos' green energy industry.
From the perspective of resource endowment, although Laos does not have abundant fossil energy, its clean energy potential is not bad, and hydropower, solar energy, and wind energy all have development prospects. In fact, Laos has already begun to deploy some renewable energy projects, and is also trying to learn new knowledge and technologies, including decarbonization technologies, coal-to-gas, coal-to-methanol, etc., with the aim of further limiting carbon emissions.
Dhununjoy Rakesh Kumar: We still have a long way to go to accelerate the sustainable economy and the green transition.
As an island developing country, Mauritius is one of the least polluted countries in the world, but it is highly vulnerable to climate change and rising sea levels. The many challenges faced by island developing countries in the green energy transition reflect the urgency of global climate action and the need for win-win cooperation.
In the case of Mauritius, our grid is relatively "isolated", it is difficult to connect with other countries' power grids, it is difficult to integrate renewable energy such as "wind", and the grid is fragile, unstable and highly vulnerable to interference. To promote the modernization and transformation of the power grid, capital, technology, experience, and cooperation are indispensable.
Mauritius has made relevant arrangements in the decarbonization and digital transformation of the economy, including the development of a "Green Energy Economy" plan, which aims to increase the share of renewable energy generation to 60% by 2030; Issuing the National Biomass Framework to promote biomass development; Invest in battery energy storage systems to address the intermittent problems associated with the widespread deployment of solar energy, among other things.
China Energy News: In recent years, global geopolitical conflicts have continued, how do you view the issue of energy security? How to strike a balance between energy security and the green transition? How to deal with the relationship between new energy and traditional energy?
Chen Guorong: In today's complex world, the geopolitical landscape has impacted the energy market, and energy security risks are increasing, especially in terms of affordability and accessibility. Addressing the relationship between fossil fuels and green energy requires careful planning and assessment, especially balancing energy needs with long-term sustainability goals.
Balancing energy security and the green transition involves strategic planning and the integration of approaches to ensure a stable energy supply while ensuring the transition to a sustainable economy and green energy.
On the one hand, the use of fossil fuels should be phased down, with targets and timetables for reducing the use of coal, oil and gas, while acknowledging the role of natural gas as a transition energy source. On the other hand, we should gradually expand the deployment of green energy investment, especially at the policy mechanism and regulatory level, and provide more convenience in terms of public-private cooperation, so as to quickly and efficiently expand green energy production capacity, so as to complete the connection and replacement between new and old energy sources.
More importantly, we need to uphold the concept of "win-win cooperation", share best practices, technologies and resources for green transformation, and promote cross-border energy transactions to optimize resource allocation and strengthen regional energy security.
Text丨Reporter Wang Lin
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Editor丨Yan Zhiqiang