Unlocking 100 per cent renewables for European businesses in China

According to the European Business in China Business Confidence Survey 2024, over half (54 per cent) of European companies in China are actively pursuing carbon neutrality. Most of these (82 per cent) are primarily decarbonising their energy use to achieve carbon neutrality – yet many face challenges accessing renewable energy, especially in major manufacturing hubs.

Since 2022, the European Chamber’s Energy Working Group has been at the forefront of advocating for European businesses’ access to renewables in China, through targeted Position Papers, submissions of comments, and high-level engagements with Chinese and EU authorities, alongside business roundtables, clean energy tours and industry forums.

These efforts have contributed significantly to critical policy advancements in 2024–2025, including:

• unified national green power trading rules and standardised cross-provincial trading;
• the release of Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) templates; and
• clearer Green Electricity Certificate (GEC) regulations, including their linkage with the carbon market.

RE100’s (a global initiative bringing together the world’s most influential businesses committed to using 100 per cent renewable electricity in their operations) unconditional recognition of Chinese GECs in March 2025 has further boosted their global credibility, enabling multinationals to leverage China-sourced renewables to meet corporate sustainability targets and maintain supply chain competitiveness.

Zhonghua Xu, national chair of the Energy Working Group, said: “Our Working Group has played a pivotal role in shaping the policy breakthroughs that transformed China’s green power policies – from unblocking renewable procurement channels and refining the GEC system to securing international recognition. Our persistent policy engagement has shown how public-private collaboration can accelerate the energy transition.”

“These reforms address the structural challenges our members faced, particularly for multinationals operating across provinces/regions with complex energy needs, enabling more efficient renewable energy procurement and consumption nationwide,” added Vice Chair Kitty Xia.