The 2nd MI Green Power Innovation Conference & the GPFM Insight Reports of Innovation Priorities released

The 2^nd Mission Innovation (MI) Green Power Innovation Conference, with the theme “Global Clean Nexus, Collaborating for a Green Powered Future”, was held in Yancheng, Jiangsu, China, on 10-13 December, 2024. The conference was hosted by the Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IEECAS), co-hosted by Mission Innovation Chinese Secretariat (MICS) and Green Powered Future Mission (GPFM) Coalition. Over 550 participants from more than 10 countries attended the conference, including senior representatives from the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero of the UK, MI Secretariat, MI Technical Advisory Group, GPFM Coalition, Jiangsu Provincial Department of Science and Technology, and the Yancheng Municipal People's Government, as well as experts from China, Italy, the UK, Japan, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, Spain and Brazil.

During the Plenary day on 11^th Dec. (the full-day video recordings can be found here), Xiao Wang, the Deputy Director of Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China, Eleanor Webster, MI Secretariat Head, and Mingkang Zhang, Mayor of Yancheng Municipal People's Government delivered opening remarks.

Eleanor Webster reviewed the development of MI over the past decade, while Jia Zhang, Head of MI Chinese Secretariat, highlighted China’s main actions under the initiative, and put forward cooperation proposals for the 10^th anniversary of MI in 2025. Luciano Martini, GPFM Director, provided an overview of GPFM, emphasizing its strategic goals. Gloria Scalco from GPFM Communication Team stressed the importance of effective communication and highlighted the specific actions and strategic tools used to achieve it.

GPFM Coalition released GPFM Annual Report 2024, as well as four GPFM Insight Reports of Innovation Priorities, which are Novel DC Solution for Effective Renewable Energy Integration, Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems Novel Control Architecture, Emerging Photovoltaic Technologies with Industrialization Potential, and Floating Photovoltaic and Eco-environment Sustainability. These reports contain more than 50 demonstration cases from around the world and bring together the contributions of more than 70 experts from 10 countries. Read more here.

The conference facilitated the signing of several Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Witnessed by Eleanor Webster and Zixin Li, Deputy Director of IEECAS, IEECAS signed MoU with RSE of Italy and the University of Indonesia, respectively. Up to now, based on the MI multilateral mechanism, the MI Chinese Secretariat has signed bilateral cooperation agreements or MoU with scientific research institutes in Italy, UK, Cuba, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Spain. The foundation for further building the international cooperation network of green power innovation has been laid.

At the GPFM-specific session, Flagship Project 1 (FP1) “5 Demos in Five Continents“, Luciano Martini presented an overview of the FP1, highlighting the ongoing work, latest achievements, and significant strides taken by GPFM. Yibo Wang, Mattia Cabiati and Craig Fraser, being as the GPFM Pillar Leads, presented R&D achievements and demonstration experiences of the National Pilot Projects. Michio Kondo, MI TAG Vice Chair, introduced a couple of examples of international initiatives to achieve 100% renewables in the power grid. Professor Rinaldy Dalimi from the University of Indonesia provided an analysis of the gradual changes in world energy governance towards Net Zero Emission, discussing its impact on the energy transition process. GPFM Coalition Members also contributed valuable insights, with Oscar Izquierdo Monge explored Spain's dedication to advancing green power innovation and its pivotal role in sustainable energy development, as well as Michele Almeida highlighted ongoing studies aimed at advancing the energy transition in Brazil’s remote communities.

The GPFM Coalition also held a roundtable discussion with Chinese leading stakeholders on Joint Efforts to Leading Innovation Strategies. The session moderated by Luciano Martini, facilitate efficient dialogues on accelerating green power innovation, exploring opportunities and challenges in joint projects, and leveraging Chinese Pilot Project achievements to support GPFM.

Beside the Plenary event, the conference featured nine technical panels focus on different cutting-edge technical directions, including Key Technologies of Renewable Energy DC Systems, Perovskite Solar Cells, Offshore Photovoltaic, Synergistic Development of Renewable Energy and Ecology, New Power System, Back-Contact Solar Cells, Large offshore Wind Turbine Frontier Technology, Standardization Technology for Empirical Testing of "PV-Climate" and Offshore-Wind. Through keynote speeches, roundtable discussions, technical seminars, and other formats, participants exchanged the latest research findings, technological breakthroughs, and practical application cases, while actively deliberating on industry challenges and advancing collaborative innovation and deeper cross-sector integration.

In collaboration with Yancheng-based research institutions, such as High-Power Level Power Electronics and Advanced Control Laboratory, Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Hydrogen Energy Testing Center, Goldwind Pioneer Technology Institute and Center of Renewable Energy Technology Innovation (Jiangsu), as well as Yancheng leading enterprises like Tongwei Group and Runergy New Energy, the participants conducted technical visits to cutting-edge technologies in renewable energy.

The successful convening of the conference fully showcased GPFM’s remarkable achievements in green power innovation in recent years. It provided an effective multilateral platform for communication among global government representatives, researchers, innovators, investors, and entrepreneurs from leading industrial companies. The conference injected fresh momentum into the advancement of clean energy technology innovation and international cooperation, highlighting GPFM's unwavering determination to continue growing stronger in pursuit of its goals.