“Belt and Road Advanced Professional Development Programme in Power and Energy” attracted record attendance

The Hongkong Electric Company, Limited (HK Electric); State Grid Corporation of China (State Grid); The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and Xi'an Jiaotong University (XJTU) have co-organised the “Belt and Road Advanced Professional Development Programme in Power and Energy” (the Programme) for the fifth consecutive year. A total of 319 energy professionals from 26 countries/regions completed the training programme this year, a record high in the number of participants.

The theme for this year was “High-quality, Sustainable, Resilient Power Grid for Green and Smart Living”, which urged action on sustainable development to create better living. A total of 10 webinars and talks were held during the 5-day training. More than 300 participants across the power industry, including senior executives from Government agencies, energy companies, academics and researchers from Belt and Road countries joined the programme.

Addressing the Closing Ceremony, Mr WAN Chi-tin, Managing Director of HK Electric said, “With the outbreak of the COVID-19, Hong Kong like any other country or region, faced enormous challenges. In 2021, thanks to our extraordinary resilience, we managed to achieve a supply reliability rating in excess of 99.9999% for the second consecutive year. This translates to a power interruption of less than half a minute on average for our customers during the year. This serves as another record for our business and a truly exceptional performance in our industry.”

Mr LI Ming, State Grid’s Director of International Cooperation Department said, “During the past five years, under the collaborative efforts of all parties, the programme has become a success with energy and innovation. State Grid is open minded about sharing the practices and benefits in promoting energy transition and building a power system based on new energy. With the success of the programme, we wish that we can continue to work together in tackling the two major challenges of energy security and energy transition, and move towards a brighter and greener future.”

Mr LIU Yunhou, President of State Grid’s China Technology College, also remarked, “Not only has the number of participants reached a record high this year, but the theme is popular, covering the current situation and future development of energy industry. We sincerely wish the collaboration among the four parties will continue to flourish in the years to come.

Professor H.C. MAN, Dean of Faculty of Engineering of PolyU, said, “PolyU is committed to offering education, research innovation and knowledge transfer to meet societal needs. In line with the strategic development of carbon neutrality and green energy in China and the world, PolyU has been actively conducting and promoting researches in these aspects in recent years. The Belt and Road Development Programme provides an important platform for researchers and senior management talents in the region to have in-depth exchanges and discussions on green energy and energy management issues. Over the past 5 years, we have built up connections with hundreds of professionals in the Belt and Road region. We look forward to fostering further collaborations with them to tackle the energy challenges for the benefit of mankind.”

Professor GUAN Xiaohong, Academician of Chinese Academy of Science and Dean of Faculty of Electronic and Information Engineering of XJTU, said, “We are delighted that the programme has continued to attract more participants in the Belt and Road regions. These activities have not only enhanced mutual understanding and technical exchanges, but also further deepened the collaborations amongst electricity supply companies, universities, and research institutions. We sincerely hope this event can continue to flourish, keep offering updated discoveries, experiences, and outcomes, benefitting practitioners in energy and power industry.”

Since the programme commenced in 2018, it has attracted nearly 800 professionals, providing more than 10,000 hours of exchanges, both online and offline training, as well as field trips over the past five years. The four parties will continue to organise activities in the coming future with diverse themes to contribute to the development of the Belt and Road Initiative, as well as promoting the experience and knowledge exchanges among senior management executives in power and energy-related fields.

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