The first meeting of the management committee of the China Southern Power Grid – University of Macau Joint Laboratory of Smart Power and Energy for Carbon Neutrality was held today (17 March) at the University of Macau (UM). At the meeting, the committee reviewed and approved the charter of the joint laboratory, the list of joint laboratory technical committees, as well as the special plan, the summary of the work report for 2022, and the work plan for 2023 of the joint laboratory.
Li Peng, director of the management committee of the joint laboratory and general manager of China Southern Power Grid Co, Ltd (China Southern Power Grid), presided over the meeting. Yonghua Song, deputy director of the management committee, rector of UM, and director of the State Key Laboratory of Internet of Things for Smart City (SKL-IOTSC); and Xu Shukai, deputy general manager of the Innovation Management Department of China Southern Power Grid, both attended the meeting and delivered a speech.
In his speech, Song said that through interdisciplinary platforms such as the SKL-IOTSC and the Institute of Applied Physics and Materials, UM is committed to promoting the theories and technologies in energy and power-related disciplines, facilitating the development of green energy industries, and training professionals for carbon neutrality. He added that the university attaches great importance to industry-academic collaboration with China Southern Power Grid, and the two parties have already established close cooperation in areas such as urban integrated energy systems and energy Internet of Things. He also expressed the hope that, through the establishment of the joint laboratory, the two sides will strengthen cooperation and serve the national strategic goals of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality.
Xu Shukai pointed out in his speech that establishing joint laboratories with well-known universities in Hong Kong and Macao is a practical measure to thoroughly implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important instructions on deepening cooperation among Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao, and to serve the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. It is also a practical measure to implement the national innovation-driven strategy and a vivid practice of promoting deep integration of industry and academia. He also expressed the hope that the two parties will further coordinate their strengths and resources this year, in an effort to achieve outstanding results and make the joint laboratory a demonstration and model for university-enterprise cooperation.
In his closing remarks, Li Peng outlined the allocation of China Southern Power Grid’s research resources and its development strategy of building a digital grid. He expressed the hope that through the establishment of the joint laboratory, China Southern Power Grid and UM will promote in-depth cooperation on key issues such as carbon neutrality and digital grid, and facilitate the digital and green development of the energy and power industry. He also hoped that the two sides will strengthen communications and exchanges, and expand the influence of the joint laboratory in the field of smart energy and power research for carbon neutrality by jointly organising high-end forums, and so on.
China Southern Power Grid, established in 2002, is a state-owned enterprise managed by the central government and invested by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council. China Southern Power Grid is responsible for the investment, construction, operation, and management of the Southern regional power grid, providing electricity supply for five provinces, namely Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou, Hainan, as well as Hong Kong and Macao. The company has also participated in the development and operation of power facilities in Southeast Asia and countries targeted by China’s ‘Belt and Road’ initiative. China Southern Power Grid has been ranked among the world’s top 500 companies for 17 consecutive years and is currently ranked No 89. As one of the leading companies in China’s energy industry, China Southern Power Grid has strong industrial and R&D capabilities in the field of carbon-neutral smart power and energy systems. The China Southern Power Grid – University of Macau Joint Laboratory of Smart Power and Energy for Carbon Neutrality was officially unveiled in September last year. It aims to, through university-enterprise cooperation, give full play to the complementary advantages of China Southern Power Grid and UM, carry out scientific and technological research, talent training, and industrial promotion in the field of carbon-neutral smart power and energy systems, realise the deep integration of industry and academia, and facilitate the innovation and development of the energy and power industry in Macao, the Greater Bay Area, and even the whole country.
Other members of the management committee of the joint laboratory also attended the meeting, including Liu Yuquan, deputy general manager of the Transmission and Distribution Department of China Southern Power Grid; Zhang Kun, deputy general manager of Guangdong Power Grid Corporation; and Prof Wong Man Chung, Prof Dai Ningyi, Prof Zhang Hongcai from the SKL-IOTSC. Prof Lao Keng Weng and Prof Hui Hongxun from the SKL-IOTSC, and heads and managers of relevant units of the Innovation Management Department of China Southern Power Grid also attended the meeting.
