Zhang Ning: Leading the development of global energy internet

——Interview with Zhang Ning, member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and director of the General Office of the State Grid Corporation of China

Zhu Yi, reporter of China Electric Power News and China Electric Power News Network

my country has done a lot of pioneering work in resource assessment, scientific and technological research, and equipment development.

China Electric Power News: What issues are you concerned about at this year's National People's Congress?

Zhang Ning: This year, I am focusing on the issue of building a global energy internet. Currently, resource shortages, environmental pollution, and climate change are the three major challenges facing all countries, and the root cause lies in the long-term large-scale development and use of fossil energy.

The fundamental way to deal with the challenge is to accelerate clean development, replace fossil energy generation with clean energy generation; implement electric energy substitution in energy consumption, replace coal with electricity, replace oil with electricity, and come from afar, and the electricity is clean power generation. Build a global energy Internet, and meet global energy needs with clean and green methods through the "UHV grid + smart grid + clean energy" approach. By building a global energy Internet, the proportion of global clean energy can be increased to about 80% by 2050, becoming the dominant energy source.

China Electric Power News: What is the practical significance and long-term value of building a global energy Internet?

Zhang Ning: First, it will boost economic growth. If the country uniformly plans and deploys the construction of energy internet, the total annual investment in power grids and power sources during the 13th Five-Year Plan and the 14th Five-Year Plan will reach 2 trillion yuan, which can drive GDP growth by more than 1.5 percentage points each year. Second, it will promote structural adjustment. The construction of energy internet can digest 18 million tons of steel production capacity, 30 million kilowatts of wind power capacity, and 35 million kilowatts of photovoltaic capacity each year, which will effectively drive the development of strategic emerging industries such as new energy, new materials, intelligent manufacturing, and electric vehicles, promote supply-side reform, and drive industrial upgrading. Third, it will effectively control haze. By 2020, the load centers in the east and central regions will receive 310 million kilowatts of external clean electricity, replace 480 million tons of raw coal each year, and reduce PM2.5 by 20%. By 2025, the proportion of clean energy in my country can be increased to 23%. Fourth, it will enhance international influence. Building a global energy internet is a major measure to implement the construction of the "Belt and Road Initiative", which will help my country occupy the commanding heights in global energy competition and enhance its voice in international affairs and climate change negotiations.

China Electric Power News: From a technical and economic perspective, is the Global Energy Internet a fantasy or a reality to be hoped for?

Zhang Ning: At present, my country has done a lot of pioneering work in resource assessment, scientific and technological research, equipment development, etc. In terms of key technologies supporting the construction of the global energy Internet, my country's independently innovated ultra-high voltage technology has achieved "China creation" and "China leadership". The construction of smart grids is at the forefront of the world, and wind power and photovoltaic power generation installed capacity and production capacity are both ranked first in the world. China has favorable conditions to lead the development of the global energy Internet. We need to seize the opportunity and accelerate progress.

I suggest that, first, we should speed up the construction of power grids at all levels, focusing on accelerating the construction of UHV backbone grids and distribution networks, and solve the problem of "weakness at both ends" of my country's power grid. We should strive to form a synchronous UHV grid in the east and west of the country by 2020, and basically complete the construction of China's energy internet by 2025. Second, we should develop clean energy on a large scale, focusing on promoting the intensive development and large-scale transmission of hydropower in the southwest, wind power in the west and north, and solar power generation, and developing various types of distributed clean energy in an efficient and orderly manner.

Third, strictly control coal-fired power generation in the east and central regions. During the 13th Five-Year Plan period, we should make great efforts to control the scale of coal-fired power generation in the east and central regions. Fourth, promote the interconnection of the "Belt and Road" and power grids, focus on accelerating the promotion of China-Russia, China-Mongolia, and China-Pakistan interconnection projects, and study and promote cross-border and cross-continental interconnection projects in Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, Asia-Europe, Asia-Africa, and Africa-Europe.