Improving Energy Efficiency in China’s Public Buildings

On August 19^th, 2022, the Sino-German business roundtable on energy efficiency in public buildings successfully took place in Beijing. Co-organized by GIZ and the Energy and Environmental Services Industry Alliance (EESIA) under the Sino-German Energy Partnership, the business roundtable provides a platform for German and Chinese companies to discuss the latest developments and advance the energy transition in both countries.

With building operation accounting for more than 20% of China’s total carbon emissions, promoting energy efficient public buildings plays a vital role in China’s climate action. Last year, the Chinese government issued a policy stating that the total carbon emissions of public institutions nationwide will peak by 2030. At present, the average renovation cost per public institution amounts to one million CNY. With a total of nearly 1.59 million public institutions nationwide, the market for energy-saving and carbon-reducing renovation offers a great opportunity for growth.

Two experts from academia and the industry opened the event by reflecting on the current development of energy conservation and emission reduction in China’s public institutions. Prof. Qing Weipeng of the Qinghua University elaborated on different paths of increasing the energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions of buildings. The technical solutions he discussed included PV, energy storage, or geothermal energy. He was followed by Ms. Zhu Lin of the China Energy Conservation Association, who provided a comprehensive introduction of policies, challenges and opportunities related to energy efficiency in public institutions in China. Depending on the local conditions, public institutions are set to peak their carbon emissions latest by 2030.

19 high-level business representatives of Chinese and German companies participated in the roundtable discussion, talking about the development, obstacles and new ideas and visions for future market trends. This time, German companies with advanced expertise in energy efficient buildings joined the roundtable, including Wilo, Oventrop, Schöck Bauteile, energydesign, Bosch, Stiebel Eltron and IS Predict GmbH.

The business roundtable is a central instrument of facilitating private sector cooperation under the framework of the BMWK commissioned Sino-German Energy Partnership. Its goal is to support Sino-German industry exchange by sharing the latest policy and market updates and providing a conducive platform for communication. In cooperation with EESIA and other Chinese industry associations, the business roundtable takes place on a regular basis. It addresses alternating topics within the scope of the energy transition and offers the opportunity to exchange with other industry stakeholders and to identify potential cooperation partners.

Connecting Business to Government and Facilitating Private Sector Cooperation

Private sector cooperation is an integral part of the Sino-German Energy Partnership (EP) between the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Actions (BMWK) and the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) as well as the National Energy Administration (NEA) of China to drive the energy transition in China and Germany. The EP aims to encourage private sector cooperation, create fair market conditions and showcase German best-practice technologies and system solutions. German companies can benefit from reliable market information and channels of dialogue with energy policy makers. Besides business roundtables, the BMWK also established the Local Business Advisory Council under the EP frameworks and provides a key instrument for the business-to-government exchange for German companies and the German Federal Government. Its bi-annual meetings in Beijing and Shanghai enable German energy and related industries to communicate challenges and barriers that they experience in the Chinese market. Vice versa, suggestions from the private sector are integrated in the implementation of EP activities.

For more information on business cooperation in the Sino-German Energy Partnership, please contact Mr. Vincent Fremery (Vincent.fremery(at)giz.de).