On the morning of September 5, the China-UK Closed-Door Seminar on Virtual Power Plants (VPP), themed “VPP (Virtual Power Plant) – A Shift to Demand-Side Decarbonisation Stakeholder Eco-system Development across UK/China,” was successfully held at the Western Hills Guesthouse in Beijing. The seminar was jointly organized by the University of Bath, the University of Cambridge, and Tsinghua University, with support from the Virtual Power Plant Committee of the China Energy Research Society. More than 20 representatives from government, academia, and industry in both China and the UK attended the event. The meeting was chaired by Zhao Jiakun, Head of the Power Division of the Energy Section, British Embassy in China.

Figure 1. At the Seminar

Benjamin Shing, First Secretary for Energy at the British Embassy in China, delivered the opening speech, emphasizing the importance of China-UK cooperation in the field of energy transition.

Figure 2. Opening Remarks by Mr. Benjamin Shing

Subsequently, You Peipei, Director of the Supply and Demand Department at the State Grid Energy Research Institute; Zhong Haiwang, Associate Professor with Long-Term Appointment at the Department of Electrical Engineering and Applied Electronics (EEA), Tsinghua University; Professor Furong Li and Postdoctoral Fellow Isaac Flower from the University of Bath; and Professor Ian White, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bath and former Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, delivered thematic presentations on four topics: characteristics and development trends of China’s demand side, the role of VPPs in China’s decarbonization pathways, opportunities for demand-side decarbonization in the UK, and lessons from the telecommunications sector’s transformation for energy transition.

Figure 3. Thematic Report by You Peipei, Director of Supply and Demand Department, State Grid Energy Research Institute

Figure 4. Thematic Report by Zhong Haiwang, Associate Professor (Long-Term Appointed), Tsinghua University

Figure 5. Thematic Report by Professor Furong Li, University of Bath

Figure 6. Thematic Report by Dr. Isaac Flower, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Bath

Figure 7. Thematic Report by Professor Ian White, Former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bath and Former Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge

During the roundtable discussion, participants engaged in in-depth exchanges on topics such as the current status of VPP market participation, technical standards, and data sharing. Chinese representatives presented the current state and challenges of VPP development in China, while the UK participants shared experiences in market mechanism design and smart meter applications. Finally, Professor Lewis Dale from the University of Bath, former Director of Transmission Regulation at the UK National Grid, delivered a summary speech, emphasizing that the key to deepening China-UK cooperation lies in enhancing transparency in the value of VPPs through standardization and interoperability. Both sides agreed that China and the UK have strong complementarities and broad prospects for cooperation in the VPP field.

Figure 8. Summary Speech by Professor Lewis Dale

This closed-door seminar established an important platform for China-UK cooperation in the field of virtual power plants and will play a positive role in promoting green energy transition and power market development.

Figure 9. Group Photo