Qingcheng Forum Launches in Chengdu, Charting a New Blueprint for Green Transformation

On May 8, the conference titled “Qingcheng Forum: Co-development of Low-carbon Energy” commenced in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. This event was organized by the Sichuan County Economic Society and the Sichuan Intelligent and Green Development Promotion Center, with support from Zhongzi Technology Co., Ltd., Huawei Digital Energy Technology Co., Ltd., and the National Energy Storage Technology Industry-Education Integration Innovation Platform at Tianjin University. Over 300 representatives from government agencies, research institutions, and new energy companies engaged in in-depth discussions on cutting-edge topics such as the construction of new energy systems, breakthroughs in energy storage technology, and industrial collaboration.

Sichuan is a major province for clean energy in China, boasting a total installed hydropower capacity of 100 million kilowatts, ranking first in the nation. As a key supplier of electricity to coastal regions, Sichuan annually delivers 60 billion kilowatt-hours of high-quality power. In his opening remarks, Tang Limin, President of the Sichuan County Economic Society and Deputy Director of the Sichuan Provincial Government Advisory Committee, emphasized that the Qingcheng Forum aims to create a new platform in the “wind, solar, storage, hydrogen, and charging” sector and to promote the low-carbon new energy industry onto a new track. Through this exchange, the forum aims to help investors identify new targets, apply technological achievements, find practical applications for the energy storage industry, and inject new vitality into the development of county economies in Sichuan.

Ling Guowei, Secretary of the Party Committee at Tianjin University’s Institute of Future Technologies and the National Energy Storage Technology Industry-Education Integration Innovation Platform, stated that energy storage technology is not only a strategic support for national energy security but also a key force in achieving carbon neutrality goals. The platform has gathered a cross-disciplinary faculty team led by four academicians, over 20 national-level leading talents, and more than 40 national-level young talents, covering the entire spectrum of energy storage technology from electrochemical storage and hydrogen energy to system applications and think tank consulting, thus forming a complete innovation system from basic research to industrialization.

Tian Jingyan, Director of the Economic Cooperation Department of the Chengdu Economic and Information Technology Bureau, remarked that the new energy industry, which flourished a few years ago, has transitioned from a blue ocean to a red ocean over the past two or three years. Initially, many companies thrived easily, but now it has become increasingly difficult to earn profits. In light of the current challenges, he emphasized that reflecting on strategies and honing internal capabilities is crucial for navigating changes. He stressed that providing cheaper energy solutions is the most important factor in the development of the new energy sector.

Li Yun, Vice Chairman of Zhongzi Technology Co., Ltd., stated during the conference that the company adheres to a development philosophy focused on core technology independence and controllability. It aims to develop new fields of energy storage and “storage+” multi-energy complementarity, targeting improvements in system performance, cost reduction, and enhanced safety. Zhongzi Technology is committed to continuous innovation in energy storage products, offering personalized energy storage and “storage+” solutions, as well as reliable operational services to factories and parks, helping high-energy-consuming enterprises to reduce costs and emissions.

Yang Yang, Secretary-General of the Sichuan Clean Energy Industry Alliance, highlighted that Sichuan has introduced numerous favorable policies to encourage the establishment of new energy storage projects on the user side. By the end of 2025, the installed capacity is expected to reach 2GW. In the future, new operational entities in Sichuan, including energy storage, virtual power plants, intelligent microgrids, and vehicle-grid interaction, will participate in the ancillary services market, and the mechanisms for energy storage cost transmission will continue to improve.

During the keynote speech segment, Zhang Yuqing, former Deputy Director of the National Energy Administration, discussed “Reflections on High-quality Energy Development during the 14th Five-Year Plan.” He noted that with China’s industrial structure heavily reliant on coal, low energy efficiency, and stringent environmental constraints, the country plans to achieve carbon peak within ten years and carbon neutrality within thirty years, which will be a significant challenge. He emphasized the need to advance the new energy industry through ten key areas, including ensuring stable energy supply, accelerating renewable energy development, prioritizing energy efficiency, and enhancing digital intelligence in the energy sector.

Wang Zhixuan, Deputy Chair of the Expert Committee of the China Electricity Council and Director of the New Energy System and Carbon Neutrality Research Institute at North China Electric Power University, stressed the importance of implementing a dual control system for carbon emissions. This includes evaluating carbon emissions from fixed asset investment projects and establishing a product carbon footprint management system tailored to China’s context.

During the signing ceremony, significant breakthroughs were made in industry-university-research collaboration between energy companies and leading universities. In alignment with the strategic cooperation agreement between the Sichuan Provincial Government and Tianjin University, Zhongzi Technology Co., Ltd. signed a tripartite strategic cooperation agreement with Tianjin University and Professor Wang Chengshan’s team from the Chinese Academy of Engineering, focusing on core technology transfer in intelligent grids and virtual power plants.

Following the signing ceremony, Wang Jin, Director of the National Energy Research Institute, delivered a keynote speech, arguing that carbon dioxide emissions are not just scientific or ethical issues but have become integral to energy economics and public livelihood. He pointed out that the current pressure on the wind and solar storage industry is immense, especially with the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, which has weakened demand for wind and solar energy in Europe and the U.S. The energy storage sector has yet to establish a mature business model, while investment in wind and solar has become increasingly uncertain.

Mei Xinyu, a researcher at the Ministry of Commerce’s Institute of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, emphasized that while developing the new energy industry, it is essential to consider the international competitive advantage of downstream energy costs. Therefore, the new energy sector must be capable of competing on cost with traditional energy sources.

Finally, during the Qingcheng Forum roundtable discussion, four leaders in the energy sector, including Cai Shaokuan, President of the China Offshore Wind Power Association, Wang Yun, General Manager of Zhongzi Technology Co., Ltd., Pan Jinggong, General Manager of Chengdu Zhongjin Material Co., Ltd., and Li Jinfeng, Deputy General Manager of Sichuan Xingxin Carbon Investment Co., Ltd., engaged in a thoughtful exchange on the opportunities and challenges in low-carbon energy industry investment.