Energy leaders gather for China International Summit ahead of the World Energy Congress

The World Energy Council hosts event in Beijing to assess ambitions of new Chinese government

BEIJING & SEOUL – 25 April 2013: The World Energy Council’s China International Summit opens today in Beijing to explore the long-term energy options facing the country’s new government.

The one-day closed summit will be one of the most important international energy events to be held in China since the leadership transition. National and international experts will discuss the choices facing China as it continues to experience the world’s fastest growing and biggest energy demand.

Today’s Summit will draw on the WEC’s unrivalled wealth of knowledge, including its flagship studies on energy policy, scenarios and resources, to examine China’s energy future.

The meeting will also act as a prelude to major sessions at the World Energy Congress, the world’s premier energy gathering, which is due to take place on 13–17 October in Daegu, South Korea. The Chinese government and industry have already committed to sending one of the largest delegations to the Congress which will host up to 5,000 delegates from around the world.

 

Pierre Gadonneix, WEC Chairman; Zhang Guobao, Chairman of the China Industrial Overseas Development's Planning Association; Christoph Frei, WEC Secretary General
 

 

Dr. Christoph Frei, Secretary General of the World Energy Council, said: “China is in the centre of many critical energy developments. It has the world’s biggest renewables and coal industries; it is facing water scarcity and pollution challenges; and it may be the next country to benefit from a shale gas revolution. We want to understand, within the global energy transformation, whether there is a refocus of ambition within the new government. With so many exciting stories in China yet to be told, we look forward to hearing more about China’s energy challenges and opportunities at both the Summit and our World Energy Congress in October.”

The China International Summit, will be co-hosted by Mr. Zhang Guobao, Chairman of the China Industrial Overseas Development and Planning Association (CIODPA), and Mr. Pierre Gadonneix, Chairman of the World Energy Council (WEC), the event will be addressed by Mr. Cho Hwan-eik, Chair of the Organising Committee of the 2013 World Energy Congress and CEO of the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO).

Cho Hwan-eik, Chair of the Organising Committee of the 2013 World Energy Congress, said: “The energy choices of China’s new leaders will have a significant impact on Asia and the world beyond. We enjoy an excellent relationship with our friends in China at the very highest level, and look forward to continuing to engage in dialogue with them both here at the Summit and in Korea this October at the World Energy Congress, where China will have a significant presence."

Topics on the China summit agenda include an overview of world energy issues, the challenge of balancing energy demand with environmental concerns such as water needs and greenhouse gas emissions, the future of renewables and unconventional gas, and the potential leadership role for China in global energy governance.

The World Energy Council’s China International Summit will hear from Chinese government representatives, leading Chinese universities and institutions such as the National Development Reform Commission’s think tank, the Energy Research Institute; the State Grid Corporation of China; Chinese and China-based private sector; senior executives from utility and natural gas companies such as CLP Group, one of the leading power companies in the Asia-Pacific region, Korea Electric Power Corporation, GDF Suez, and Hess Corporation will also be among those present.

Cho, Hwan-eik, Chairman, WEC Daegu 2013 Congress Organising Committee and President & CEO, KEPCO speaking at the opening of the WEC China International Summit in Beijing

 

About the World Energy Congress
The World Energy Congress is the world's premier energy gathering. The triennial World Energy Congress has gained recognition since the first event in 1923 as the premier global forum for leaders and thinkers to debate solutions to energy issues. In addition to the discussions, the event provides an opportunity for executives to display their technologies and explore business opportunities. With the upcoming Congress in Daegu the event will have been held in 20 major cities around the world since its founding.

Further details at www.daegu2013.kr and @WECongress

 
About the World Energy Council (WEC)

The World Energy Council (WEC) is the principal impartial network of leaders and practitioners promoting an affordable, stable and environmentally sensitive energy system for the greatest benefit of all. Formed in 1923, WEC is the UN-accredited global energy body, representing the entire energy spectrum, with more than 3000 member organisations located in over 90 countries and drawn from governments, private and state corporations, academia, NGOs and energy related stakeholders. WEC informs global, regional and national energy strategies by hosting high-level events, publishing authoritative studies, and working through its extensive member network to facilitate the world’s energy policy dialogue.

Further details at www.worldenergy.org and @WECouncil

 
About the WEC China International Summit
Speakers at the WEC China International Summit include:

• Zhang Guobao, Chairman of the China Industrial Overseas Development and Planning Association (CIODPA), China
• Pierre Gadonneix, WEC Chair and Honorary Chairman of EDF, France
• Dr. Christoph Frei, Secretary General, World Energy Council (WEC)
• Lin Boqiang, Director, China Center for Energy Economics Research, Xiamen University, China
• Gavin Chui, Energy Utilities and Mining Leader PwC, China
• Ying Jun, Head of Research, China, Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF), China
• Zhang Liying, Vice President, State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC), China
• Yang Yufeng, Deputy Director & Associate Research Professor, Energy System Analysis Institute, Energy Research Institute – NRDC China
• Qi Ye, Cheung Kong Professor of Environmental Policy and Management; Director, Climate Policy Institute, Tsinghua University, China
• Zhao Zhiyong, Vice President & General Manager of Hess China, Hess Corporation, China
• Tom Zhao, General Manager, BYD, China,
• Thani Al-Zeyoudi, Director, Directorate of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UAE
• Jean-Marie Dauger, Senior Executive Vice President, GDF Suez, France
• Ged Davis, CEO, Forescene SA, Switzerland
• Leo Geddes, Head of Energy and Resource Security, CCE China Network, British Embassy, China
• Jason Green, Head of Energy, Research Council, UK
• Neil A.C. Hirst, Senior Policy Fellow for Energy & Mitigation, Grantham Institute for Climate Change, Imperial College London, UK,
• Philippe Joubert, Executive Chair, Global Electricity Initiative, WEC; Special Adviser to the Chairman & CEO, Alstom, France
• Jeremy Leggett, Founder & Chairman, Solarcentury & SolarAid, UK
• Hervé Machenaud, Group Senior Executive Vice President, Generation, EDF, France
• Teruaki Masumoto, Chairman, Japan Energy Association (JEA); Chair, Japanese National Member Committee, WEC Japan
• Karl Rose, Senior Director, Scenarios and Policies, WEC; Former Head of Strategy, Shell, Austria
• Samantha Smith, Leader of Global Climate and Energy Initiative, WWF, Norway
• Domenico Villani, Managing Director, CESI Germany
• Barry Worthington, Executive Director, United States Energy Association (USEA), USA