Tianjin turns hub for green electricity trade

"With the exchange, users can purchase electricity directly from power plants. This year, we bought a large amount of green electricity from outside the region, and the price was lower than conventional corporate electricity, saving 320 million yuan ($45 million) in energy costs for all green electricity users in Tianjin," he added.

Due to the increasing inputs into the power grid, the price of green energy is currently on par or even cheaper than regular electricity, according to the Tianjin government.

This successful practice is a direct response to Goal 7 of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which is to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.

Last year, the Tianjin Green Electricity and Green Certificate Service Center was inaugurated at State Grid Tianjin Electric Power Co. The center has established a trading platform for green electricity and green certificates, connecting supply and demand, promoting green electricity consumption, and supporting the green transformation of energy.

During this year's Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit held in Tianjin, the managers of the venue for the summit completed green electricity transactions with local new energy enterprises in Tianjin, reaching a transaction volume of 1 million kWh. This ensured a 100 percent green electricity supply for all event venues during the summit, equivalent to reducing the burning of 320 metric tons of standard coal and cutting 800 tons of carbon dioxide emissions. It was the first time that an SCO summit has achieved a full green electricity supply.

The construction sector in Tianjin has been advancing the green transformation of construction processes in recent years.

According to Ding Hui, head of the technology and quality department at China Railway Construction Engineering Group Third Company, in line with the national dual carbon goals, they have actively promoted the adoption of new energy technologies such as building-integrated photovoltaics and ground-source heat pumps, significantly reducing reliance on traditional energy sources.

In terms of construction methods, companies have also implemented smart energy management platforms to monitor and control energy consumption and carbon emissions.

"These efforts in Tianjin have not only enhanced the green quality of local buildings but also, through technology transfer and standard-setting, provided impetus for the high-quality development of the construction industry and other traditional sectors across the country," Ding said.

Wu Meng contributed to this story.

Contact the writers at yandongjie@chinadaily.com.cn