■ Delegation of the European Union to China and Mongolia

EU-China Clean Energy Centre

(EC2)

Duration / 5 years
Beneficiary country / China
EC Contribution / € 10 million (€ 9.23 for the grant and the rest for monitoring, evaluation and audit)
Consortium Contribution / € 3.16 million (Italian Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea and direct revenue from the action)
Implementing Agency / Consortium led by the Polytechnic University of Turin, Italy
Location / China (Beijing)
EU Delegation Contact Person / Michela Tagliaferri

Project Background

EC2's objective is to promote an increased use of clean energy in China and to support the Chinese Government's efforts to shape a more sustainable, environmental friendly and efficient energy sector.

EC2 will be set-up as an autonomous body to promote the use of cleaner energy technologies and to support energy conservation and efficiency, thus assisting China in its transition to a low-carbon economy.

The National Energy Administration of China and the European Commission have designed and formulated the project together.

The Chinese Governmentand the European Commission have then signed a Financing Agreement in January 2009 and issued a joint statement on the project in May 2009. A Call for Proposals was then launchedand a consortium made of the following European and Chinese non-profit organisations was selectedand contracted to set-up and operate the EC2:

Project lead applicant: Polytechnic University of Turin, Italy

Project partners: Tsinghua University, Institute of Industrial Economics of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Energy Research Institute of the NDRC, Euro-Mediterranean Centre for Climate Change, University of Calabria, Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, Commission for Atomic and Alternative Energies of France (CEA), Regional Environmental Centre for Central and Eastern Europe in Hungary

Project Associates: Italian Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea (co-funding the project), VeniceInternationalUniversity, Chinese Renewable Energy Industries Association (CREIA), Zhejiang China-Europe Low Carbon Economy Research & Cooperation Centre, Intesa San Paolo Eurodesk

Project Objectives

The scope of action and activities of EC² will address the following five areas of clean energy:

1.Clean coal (including carbon capture and storage and efficiency increases in power production from coal)

2.Sustainable bio fuels

3.Renewable energy sources

4.Energy efficiency in energy consumption (Buildings, products, industry)

5.Sustainable and efficient distribution systems

Within the scope of action, EC² will carry out a wide range of activities leading to specific results in terms of technology deployment (Result I), policy development (Result II and III), and of both (Result IV):

Result I: Increased introduction of clean energy technologies into the energy sector and other relevant sectors, in particular through facilitation of clean energy projects

ResultII: Enhanced capacity of the government for the development of policies, regulations and standards in favour of clean energy development

Result III: Enhanced capacity of Chinese energy authorities and economic operators to implement and enforce the regulatory framework in favour of clean energy development

Result IV: Increased awareness amongst decision makers and the public at large of clean energy and its benefits to the environment

Main Project Activities

The EC² should aim to:

  • Facilitate the exchange of knowledge on state-of-the art and emerging technologies on clean energy
  • Play an advisory role on clean energy issues in general and projects in this field
  • Become a partner and one of the interlocutors for European and Chinese stakeholders on clean energy issues in general
  • Provide a platform for capacity building to Chinese authorities in terms of regulatory conditions for the energy market
  • Provide proposals to European and Chinese decision-makers in the energy sector on policy-making, energy planning and energy reform

Current Status

  • The EC2 was officially inaugurated by the European Commission President Mr. Barroso and the Director of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) Mr. Zhang Guobao on the 30th April 2010. The premises set-up has been completedas well as the recruitment of staff.
  • In March 2012 ‘EC2 Strategic Development Plan’has been finalized and approved by the EC2 Management Board. With the Plan EC2 launches a formulato enhance EU-CN technological cooperation on clean energies, based on the identification and start-up of demonstration actions (Demo Zone concept).
  • EC2 is now implementing its 3ndyear work plan. It has organised a series of important events and seminars on Smart Grids technologies, Clean Coal,Energy-efficient building sector, Biomass energy, Low Carbon Development and climate change, Solar Energy, Policies and measures in China’s energy sector, Electric mobility. The Centre has also carried out a series of trainings and e-learning events.A quarterly Newsletter is published and the website is constantly updated.
  • A technology and policy database will be soon made available for the members of EC2 Clean Energy Alliance.A series of advisory reports on policies and technologies have also been finalised(“Barriers hampering the introduction of clean energy technologies and renewable” , “Renewable energy perspectives”, “Solar energy technologies, including PV and thermodynamic”).

Last update: June 2012

For more information:

1