IKI promoting sustainable energy supply in China

China and Germany are deepening their cooperation in developing energy and climate change concepts for cities.

Expanding renewable energy in cities plays a key role for climate change mitigation in China. In the framework of the project Sino-German Climate Partnership and Cooperation on Renewable Energies, the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Federal Environment Ministry (BMUB) is helping Chinese cities prepare sustainable urban energy and climate change mitigation concepts. 

The project partner, the National Energy Administration (NEA), has selected over 80 Sino-German new energy demonstration cities that have pledged to increase the share of renewable energies in primary energy consumption. The IKI project is providing support to three of these pilot cities – Dunhuang, Jiaxing (Xiuzhou district) and Xintai – in developing exemplary energy and climate change concepts aimed at achieving a sustainable energy supply.
Particular focus is geared towards the promotion of greater energy efficiency and measures for saving energy. The project draws on the experience of German cities and municipalities, while ensuring that the priority areas, approaches and methodologies are adapted to the specific circumstances of the Chinese partner cities. The project is being implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and a consortium composed of Fraunhofer institutes.

BMUB Division Head Dr Vera Rodenhoff visited Dunhuang in April to learn about the city’s high potential for using renewable energies, and progress in expanding their use. Examples of renewable energy projects included a geothermal heat pump for the information centre of the Buddhist Mogao grottoes, the use of waste heat from urban water pumps, a photovoltaic system with a total capacity of 600 MW, and two concentrated solar power systems utilising tower and Fresnel technologies that each generate 10 MW. Her visit also helped foster the networking among the three pilot cities.

In future the project will serve as a model for other cities in China. This will involve promoting the close networking and knowledge exchange between Chinese and pioneering cities worldwide through digital platforms, conferences and study trips, and the dissemination of project results.