Speech by Zhu Gongshan at Eco Forum Global Guiyang 2021: Ecology and Environment - Wealth, Advantage and Branding All in One
Eco Forum Global Guiyang 2021
July 12, 2021 ★ Guiyang
On July 12, Eco Forum Global Guiyang 2021 was held in Guiyang Guizhou Province, theming “Green and Low Carbon Development – Fostering a Community of Life for Man and Nature”. Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Li Zhanshu delivered the keynote speech. Li Zhanshu expressed that under the guidance of President Xi Jinping’s thought, eco-civilization construction is now one of China’s major development strategies. Resource conservation and environment protection are established as China’s basic national policies for sustainable development. China has started to carry out a series of fundamental, pioneering and future-oriented measures to promote the construction of major ecological projects, to fight the tough fight against pollution and to strengthen the construction of relevant laws and regulations. All these have driven historical and thorough changes for ecological and environmental protection.
At the closing ceremony of the forum on July 13, Zhu Gongshan, Chairman of the Global Green Energy Council and Chairman of GCL Group, delivered a speech as the sole representative of entrepreneurs as follows:
Chairman of the Global Green Energy Council
Zhu Gongshan
Chairman of GCL Group
Distinguished leaders, distinguished guests, ladies, gentlemen and friends,
It’s a great honor to give a speech here as the only representative of entrepreneurs present at the closing ceremony. Eco Forum Global Guiyang 2021 is both a national and international high-level event with the theme of eco-civilization. Yesterday at the opening ceremony, on behalf of Chairman Xi Jinping, Chairman Li Zhanshu reiterated in his speech China’s goals to strive to reach its peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.
The goals are set. The implementation of “carbon peak” and “carbon neutrality” and the construction of eco-civilization require green enterprises to take the initiative to practice green and low-carbon development, to reduce pollution and carbon emissions, and to increase synergy. As the founder of GCL, which has been ranking first in the new energy industry for many consecutive years, Chairman of the Global Green Energy Council, Co-Chairman of Global Photovoltaic Industry Association, over the time, I have developed a deep understanding of the importance of promoting energy transition, the necessity to protect the ecological environment, and the urgency of efficient responses towards climate changes. In 2008, China's photovoltaic on-grid feed-in tariff was 4 yuan per kilowatt-hour, and now it is as low as 0.14 yuan, far lower than the benchmark electricity price of coal power. In some areas in the Middle East, the PV on-grid price is only 1.04 cents. With joint efforts, from upstream to downstream, through the entire photovoltaic industrial chains, constant technological innovations are being made to drive improvement and advancement in processing, materials, equipment, and applications. It is estimated that by 2025, the PV on-grid electricity price in 60% districts of China will be brought down to 0.13 yuan or so. The unit cost of wind power electricity can be lowered to 0.15 yuan approximately, and the unit cost of energy storage is expected to fall below 0.2 yuan. The cost of new energy based hydrogen production will soon drop to 1 yuan per cubic meter. A new green energy system is being set up, with wind, solar and hydrogen storage as the main forms, and is gradually replacing the traditional energy system dependent on coal, gas, and oil. This shift will significantly boost the realization of “carbon peak” and “carbon neutrality” as scheduled.
Yesterday Chairman Li Zhanshu emphasized Chairman Xi Jinping’s concept of “Environment is the people’s livelihood, green mountains are beautiful, and blue skies provide happiness.” A clearer sky and a greener landscape cannot be possible but for a clean, low-carbon, safe and efficient energy system. The implementation of renewable energy alternatives needs to be accelerated, and new energy technology innovations and model innovation applications are also required. Green enterprises, especially new energy and clean energy enterprises, are shouldering great responsibilities and fulfilling glorious missions. For me, it is not only my great honor but more a responsibility to be able to speak here on this occasion as a representative of the entrepreneurs on the topics of global ecological management and China’s energy transition. The curtains of this forum are about to be dropped, but the curtains of the new future and new picture of Xi Jinping's thoughts on ecological civilization are being drawn right in front of us.
Clear waters and green mountains are as valuable as mountains of gold and silver. The ecological environment in itself is of great wealth, great advantage and a great power of branding. We entrepreneurs and green industry practitioners are the bearers of the "dual carbon" goal. We firmly believe that the “30·60”decarbonization goal will be achieved ahead of schedule. In the next step, we will unswervingly practice the "clear waters and green mountains" theory, strengthen our efforts on green zero-carbon technologies and make further investment on green energy fields. We are now pushing the implementation of new functional materials projects clusters in Tongren and other places. This project adopts a one-step synthesis method, which can reduce energy consumption by more than 50% compared with traditional methods. It is our tribute to pay to Green Guizhou, Eco-China, and Great China. We will be working together and contributing with “green” wisdom and eco-friendly solutions to build a beautiful world where human beings and nature coexist harmoniously. Thank you.
