Executive Chairman Xin Baoan addresses CIGRE Virtual Centennial Session

At the invitation of the International Council on Large Electric Systems (Conseil international des grands réseaux électriques, CIGRE), Xin Baoan, Executive Chairman of State Grid Corporation of China, attended CIGRE's Virtual Centennial Session held on August 20 and gave a keynote speech on building a power system based on new energy for clean energy transition.

State Grid to be a leader, facilitator, and pioneer of the green transition 

Xin Baoan noted that since President Xi Jinping set the goals of carbon peak and neutrality, State Grid was prompt to formulate its corresponding action plan on building a power system based on new energy from 2021 to 2030. The utility aims to be a leader, facilitator, and pioneer of the green transition and has carried out major tasks in five aspects. First, it has been promoting innovation in the development of the power grid, focusing on improving the ability of the grid to allocate resources on a large scale and developing flexible power transmission and advanced distribution network technologies. Second, it is enhancing the system's regulating capacity, building pumped storage stations, exploring alternative storage solutions, and tapping user-side resources. Third, it seeks to satisfy diversified energy demands, replacing fossil fuels with electricity, promoting rural electrification, and offering various services for energy efficiency. Fourth, it is boosting the digitalization of the power grid, building the world's largest cloud platform for new energy and the smart Internet of Vehicles (IOV), as well as providing online services for electricity users. Fifth, it is strengthening the R&D of key technology and the study of major topics to advance technological innovation, and conduct in-depth studies on major topics such as the coordinated development of the power and carbon markets and corresponding industrial policies.

Xin pointed out that a new round of transition towards clean energy is booming; power systems around the world are at the core of such transition, and undergoing profound changes towards decarbonization, digitalization and flexibility. It is imperative to build power systems based on new energy. From supply side, new energy will eventually become the dominant power source. From demand side, a large number of "prosumers" will emerge. In terms of the grid system, dominant large grids will coexist with other types of grids. In terms of the whole power system, the operating mechanism and the supply-demand balancing mode will be adjusted considerably. In general, the new power system based on new energy is clean and low-carbon, safe and controllable, flexible and efficient, smart and friendly, open and interactive.

Xin said that building a power system based on new energy is a long-term systematic project that involves various sectors and would have far-reaching impacts. CIGRE is a prestigious organization in the global power sector. Since its founding a century ago, it has been committed to promoting cooperation and the sharing of expertise in the power sector. It has played a leading role in the development of power grid technologies with release of esteemed reports. State Grid will continue strengthening exchanges and cooperation with CIGRE to jointly promote the global green transition, and contribute to the sustainable development of global energy, economy, society, and environment.

CIGRE was founded in 1921. Its biennial session is one of the most important international conferences in the power sector. Its 2020 session to be held in Paris has been postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and was held online as a centennial session themed "Renewable Electricity for Climate Neutrality: Challenges and Opportunities."