Interview: China's energy shift fuels partnership opportunities: British business leader

LONDON, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) -- China is setting global energy trends by turning its clean energy transition into an engine of industrial renewal, a transformation that benefits the world and opens new ground for China-Britain cooperation, Jack Perry, chairman of The 48 Group, told Xinhua in a recent interview.

China met all of its power demand growth in the first half of 2025 through clean electricity generation, while cutting fossil fuel generation and emissions, said global energy think tank Ember in its Global Electricity Mid-Year Insights.

Remaining the clear frontrunner in global clean energy growth, China accounted for 55 percent of the global increase in solar generation and 82 percent of the rise in wind generation. Its solar power output grew 43 percent year-on-year in the first half of 2025, well above the global average of 31 percent, while its wind generation expanded by 16 percent, more than double the global average, the report showed.

"China's progress in renewable energy is one of the defining transformations of our generation," Perry said, noting that behind the numbers lies a strategic, coherent and long-term national vision as the country has taken renewable energy as a foundation for future growth.

Perry also praised China's rapid progress in renewable energy consumption, saying that "electrification is advancing across every part of life - including transport, housing, manufacturing, and logistics." He added that such demand continuously drives innovation in renewable integration and energy storage capacity.

According to Ember, China's exports of clean technologies reached a record 20 billion U.S. dollars in August, marking a new high. The think tank said China's clean energy transition is fundamentally reshaping the global energy economy.

"The most powerful outcome of China's clean energy success is that it benefits everyone," Perry noted. "Lower costs, faster deployment, and shared learning are already transforming global markets - and the next stage is about partnership."

Perry highlighted deepening cooperation between China and Britain in promoting green growth, citing several joint initiatives.

In May 2025, The 48 Group introduced Octopus Energy, a leading British energy supplier, to a group of Chinese partners to explore cooperation in virtual power plants and electric vehicle grid integration.

A month later, Octopus partnered with Chinese automaker BYD to launch Britain's first vehicle-to-grid bundle, offering users "free charging" through smart charge-discharge technology and rebates. Octopus has also formed a strategic partnership with one of China's leading wind turbine manufacturers to explore further opportunities in the wind energy sector.

Perry, also chief executive of the London Export Corporation, said Chinese and British counterparts are now building a virtual power plant framework in Beijing that connects solar, wind, electric vehicles, and battery storage through intelligent software systems. The goal is to optimize distributed energy use and create a model that can be replicated internationally.

"The next 10 years will define how nations decarbonize intelligently, and it is here that China-UK cooperation has its greatest potential," Perry said.

"The energy transition is not a competition, it is a shared responsibility," he added, expressing confidence that the two sides will continue to work together on the defining challenges of this century, including climate change, technology, and sustainable growth.