China-Britain energy cooperation sets model for global climate battle

DIVERSIFIED ENERGY COOPERATION

Nuclear cooperation, meanwhile, is not all in the bilateral energy cooperation portfolio. In line with the global trend of curbing pollutants emissions and pursuing low-carbon development, China and Britain have also been steering their energy cooperation towards clean and renewable resources.

The two sides have in recent years signed massive business deals on natural gas, carried out fruitful cooperation in solar and wind power, and pioneered in exploring tidal wave power generation.

Among the business contracts signed during Xi's recent state visit to Britain is a multi-billion-dollar supply deal of liquefied natural gas (LNG) between British oil giant BP and Huadian, China's largest gas-fired power producer.

In June, state-owned Chinese company China Harbor Engineering Company (CHEC) won a 460-million-dollar contract to build the world's first tidal energy power plant in Britain's Swansea Bay, which is expected to generate power enough for 120,000 homes.

In December 2014, China General Nuclear (CGN), the company that leads the Chinese consortium in the Hinkley Point C project, acquired an 80-percent stake in three British onshore wind farms from EDF.

In June 2014, during Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's visit to Britain, BP signed with Chinese offshore oil producer CNOOC a 20-billion-dollar LNG supply contract. Under the deal, BP would supply up to 1.5 million tonnes of LNG per year for 20 years starting in 2019.

In April 2014, a 12-megawatt solar power plant invested and built by Chinese company Avic International was delivered to the British side. The Spriggs solar farm has been connected to the grid since March and its daily output in summer time can satisfy the power needs of 2,500 families.

According to a recent report released by Pinsent Masons, a full-service international law firm based in London, with more Chinese investment streaming into British infrastructure, the energy sector will be the largest beneficiary, particularly nuclear energy, wind power and solar power.