TotalEnergies exec: China key engine for innovation

China is a crucial engine for global sustainable innovation, particularly in the energy sector, a senior executive of TotalEnergies China said, highlighting the country's rapid advancements and the French energy major's increasing reliance on Chinese technology.

"China has been at the forefront of energy technology development for the past 15 years, achieving' remarkable results'," Yu Yongjian, TotalEnergies China country chair, who is also a representative to this year's Shanghai Cooperation Organization Energy Ministers Meeting, said during the event that was recently held in Ningbo, Zhejiang province.

"China's breakthroughs and global leadership in key areas such as solar panels, wind turbine generators, electric vehicles and battery technology are key indicators of China's globally leading position," Yu said.

"This innovation is significant for us and we have been extensively using innovative products and technologies from China," said Yu, citing large purchases of Chinese-made solar panels and the deployment of Chinese wind turbines in TotalEnergies' projects worldwide.

TotalEnergies is also conducting local research and development in China to address global challenges. To better integrate its strategy and leverage Chinese innovation, the company established a new unit earlier this year aimed at enhancing synergy across its businesses in China and promoting technology exchange between China and its global operations.

According to Zhu Yicong, vice-president of renewables and power research at global consultancy Rystad Energy, China has seen a substantial increase in the installation of renewable energy capacity over recent years.

This strong momentum in adding new clean energy sources shows no signs of diminishing, indicating a sustained push in this sector, Zhu said.

The global consultancy projects a period of record-breaking expansion for China's solar sector in the near future. Their forecast specifically anticipates that the country's total installed solar PV capacity will exceed the significant threshold of 1,000 gigawatts by the close of 2026, highlighting the rapid scale of expected growth.

A large share of the world's total solar installations in 2025 is expected to take place within China, she said.

Yu identified China's "vast market size" as a key advantage, providing strong support for the practical application of technological innovation and fostering new technology pathways and business models with high efficiency.

He also highlighted China's "complete industrial chain and strong manufacturing capabilities" as crucial for the cost-effective deployment of new energy technologies, especially in renewables and storage.

TotalEnergies is collaborating with Chinese partners on developing clean energy products like sustainable aviation fuel, green power, hydrogen and carbon capture, while adopting Chinese innovations like solar components and storage systems in its global low-carbon business development, Yu said.