Espen Mehlum, head of Energy Transition Intelligence and Regional Acceleration at the World Economic Forum in Dalian, Liaoning province, June 25, 2024. [Photo by Wang Yiming/China.org.cn]

"It's quite impressive what China has been achieving over the last decades, starting from a base that was very coal-dependent and not very technology-intensive to now becoming the global superpower of clean energy manufacturing," said Espen Mehlum, head of Energy Transition Intelligence and Regional Acceleration at the World Economic Forum, during an exclusive interview with China.org.cn.

Speaking on Tuesday at the 15th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as the Summer Davos, held in Dalian, Liaoning province, Mehlum highlighted China's progress and pivotal role in the global green industry.

According to the World Economic Forum's "Fostering Effective Energy Transition 2024" report released on June 19, the Energy Transition Index (ETI), which benchmarks 120 countries on their energy system performance and transition readiness, ranks China 17th globally, outperforming the United States, which is ranked 19th.

"China has been making a lot of progress. This is the 14th edition of the ETI, and it has been progressing steadily," Mehlum said.

Mehlum credits China's achievements in the field of energy transition to several factors, notably substantial investments driven by effective planning.

"Its five-year plans have given a very clear direction to the country, followed by very clear policies, such as support for some of the renewable industries, and developing a carbon market," he said, adding that the business sector's innovation and investments are also significant contributors.

The energy and sustainability expert said, "The world needs a technology revolution to transition. We require all kinds of green technologies — solar, wind, batteries, electric mobility, green hydrogen and nuclear power. China is a global leader in many of these areas, for instance, housing much of the world's solar manufacturing capacity and leading in battery and electric vehicle sectors."

Chinese Premier Li Qiang, addressing the opening plenary of the forum, emphasized China's proactive efforts in developing new energy sectors. He pointed out that Chinese-made electric vehicles, lithium batteries and photovoltaic products have not only satisfied domestic demand, but also enhanced the global market supply.

The rapid rise of China's new industries has been in line with the global trend of technological revolution and green development, Li remarked.

Mehlum reinforced these points, saying, "The leadership of China in green technologies has driven its low-carbon energy transition and created numerous green jobs within the country. And also for the world, it's been benefiting consumers having access to solar power in Europe and Africa, and now also to e-mobility."

Addressing the fierce global competition in the green energy sector, Mehlum acknowledged that it is "natural" for governments to seek a competitive edge and ensure sustainable and secure energy in their countries. He said, "Sometimes these can create some frictions between the nations and trade issues."

"But the long-term journey we're on requires much more clean energy for everybody at affordable costs," he said, adding that there will be opportunities for various countries to participate in the clean and green transition journey, "even though in the short run, there can be some bumps in the road."

Thus, he stressed the importance of international cooperation, especially in times of geopolitical volatility and economic uncertainty. "Cooperation is vital at different levels — within countries, between the public and private sectors, between companies internationally, and between nations, whether bilaterally or in multilateral forums."

"Our energy systems and supply chains are globally interconnected; we all depend on each other. Nobody can win unless everybody wins," he said.

As an example of successful international cooperation, Mehlum cited the recent partnership between Chinese battery manufacturer CATL and Rolls-Royce, a British power generation maker, on energy storage technology. This collaboration highlights the mutual benefits of sharing technology for energy storage for grids, he said.

"It would be fascinating to observe the next stage of China's energy transition," Mehlum added. "A lot of innovation is coming from this country, and they can benefit the world."