Source: CNESA

On October 23, 2025, during the International Forum on Energy Transition, the China-UK Hydrogen and Energy Storage Cooperation Forum was held in Suzhou. The event brought together representatives from energy authorities of both countries, the British Embassy in Beijing, and institutions such as the China Energy Storage Alliance (CNESA) and the China Hydrogen Alliance, along with experts, scholars, and business leaders from the hydrogen and energy storage industries. Participants engaged in in-depth discussions on technological innovation and industrial collaboration in promoting the global energy transition.

Liu Deshun, Director-General of the Department of Energy Conservation and Science & Technology Equipment of China’s National Energy Administration, and Rachel Kyte, the UK Special Representative for Climate, attended the forum and delivered remarks. Other distinguished guests included Greg Dyke, Deputy Director for International Affairs at the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, and Jonathan Bacon, Minister Counsellor (Economic) at the British Embassy in Beijing. They shared insights into the UK’s energy sector development and international cooperation strategies under its net-zero goals.

Experts and representatives from University College London (UCL), the Faraday Institution, CNESA, and the China Hydrogen Alliance, as well as leading companies such as GoodWe, HyperStrong, Trina Solar, bp China, and Johnson Matthey, participated in the forum. Through open dialogue, they contributed professional expertise and practical perspectives to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the energy sector.

In his speech, Liu Deshun emphasized that the global energy landscape is undergoing profound transformation, and developing clean energy and tackling climate change have become a shared international priority. As strategic emerging industries, hydrogen and energy storage play crucial roles in driving energy transition and achieving carbon neutrality. He noted that China’s National Energy Administration remains committed to high-level opening-up. In March 2025, China and the UK signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the Clean Energy Partnership, identifying clean hydrogen and battery energy storage as key cooperation areas. Moving forward, both sides will deepen practical collaboration in hydrogen and energy storage, enhance policy dialogue, advance joint technology innovation and standards development, and promote project implementation and investment - jointly contributing to global energy transition and climate governance.

Rachel Kyte, the UK Special Representative for Climate, stressed that hydrogen and energy storage are strategic enablers of clean, secure, and affordable energy. The UK looks forward to deepening cooperation with China under the Clean Energy Partnership framework to promote the global deployment of hydrogen and energy storage technologies, advancing the global shift toward green, low-carbon development.

Representing Chinese institution, Nina Ning, Senior Research Manager of the CNESA, delivered a keynote speech titled “Latest Developments and Prospects of China’s Energy Storage Market”. Her presentation provided an in-depth overview of China’s energy storage progress, technological breakthroughs, and future trends, offering valuable insights for UK participants.

Aurore Mallon, Head of Battery Market and Investment at the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, introduced the UK’s policy and regulatory framework for battery energy storage. Lu Huan, Dean of GoodWe Solar Academy, shared project experiences of Chinese storage companies entering the UK market. Professor Michael Grubb from University College London discussed the UK’s policy roadmap for commercializing energy storage. Their perspectives offered practical guidance for deepening bilateral industrial cooperation.

A panel discussion moderated by Alex Way, Counsellor for Net Zero and Sustainable Development at the British Embassy in Beijing, explored key topics such as the complementarity of China-UK technology roadmaps, compliance and localization challenges for overseas operations, and market mechanism design. Chinese participants - including Dr. Wang Jinsong, Chief Scientist at the Big Data Center of HyperStrong, and Ge Yufang, Director of Strategy and Operations at Trina Solar’s Overseas Power Plant Division - shared practical insights, while representatives from UK firms such as Arup and Wood Mackenzie provided professional recommendations to enhance China-UK industrial collaboration and support Chinese energy storage enterprises going global.

After the forum, the China-UK Hydrogen and Energy Storage Cooperation Reception was held as scheduled, providing a relaxed business networking platform for guests from both sides. The reception helped participants further connect resources and discuss cooperation in an informal setting, continuing the collaborative momentum of the forum.

The successful convening of the China-UK Hydrogen and Energy Storage Cooperation Forum marks a new stage of deepened collaboration between the two countries in the hydrogen and energy storage fields. As a leading industry service platform, CNESA remains committed to promoting the international development of China’s energy storage industry. Going forward, CNESA will continue to leverage international cooperation mechanisms, integrate industry resources, and provide diversified platforms for policy dialogue, technology exchange, and project collaboration - helping Chinese energy storage companies seize global market opportunities, manage compliance risks, and strengthen localization efforts, while contributing Chinese expertise and strength to the global energy transition.

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