Green transformation is the inevitable way to address climate change and also a new engine for economic and social development. This is an important measure to promote the improvement of the capacity and level of high-quality energy development. It also effectively meets the urgent needs of key energy-consuming industries to accelerate green and low-carbon development and address international green barriers. It is of great significance and far-reaching influence.
First, establish rules for direct green power connection and promote high-level supply and demand coordination
The Notice is the first policy document dedicated to promoting direct green power connection. It addresses the institutional constraints of "wanting to do but not being allowed to do" and the capacity gap of "wanting to do but not knowing how to do", providing a basis for direct green power connection with rules and regulations to follow, and better stimulating internal motivation and releasing development vitality.
First, precision. The Notice clearly sets out the scope of application of the green power direct connection policy, which must meet three elements: First, the power source must be new energy sources such as wind power, solar power, and biomass power; The second is that it is the only power user. The third is that the power source is directly connected to the power user through a dedicated power line and is not directly connected to the public network.
Second, flexibility. First, the project can be grid-connected or off-grid. Among them, grid-connected projects should form a clear physical interface and responsibility interface with the public network. Second, both existing and incremental loads can participate, which means that new loads can be used to build new energy projects in conjunction. It is also clear that the existing load can be replaced by clean energy by reducing the output of self-owned power plants. Third, dispatching plans can be issued based on the power generation and consumption curves independently arranged by the project. Fourth, the new energy power generation projects in the project are exempted from the power business license, and the surplus electricity in the areas where the spot market operates continuously can be fed into the grid. Fifth, all types of business entities (excluding power grid enterprises) can invest. They can build independently or in cooperation.
Second, electricity is physically directly connected and clearly traceable, achieving mutual success between users and new energy sources
Green power direct connection can achieve clear physical traceability of the supplied new energy power, while meeting the green energy consumption demands of enterprises and the improvement of new energy consumption levels. Aluminum accounts for half of the non-ferrous metals. It is not only the key to reducing carbon emissions among non-ferrous metals but also the variety that contributes the most to the international trade surplus. The release of the "Notice" will be conducive to promoting the aluminum and non-ferrous metals industry to achieve the dual carbon goals and cope with international green and low-carbon barriers and other constraints.
First, direct connection of green electricity will provide strong support for electrolytic aluminum to achieve a greener and more low-carbon state. Seventy percent of the energy consumption and carbon emissions of non-ferrous metals come from the electricity used in the production of electrolytic aluminum. China's electrolytic aluminum has led the world in many aspects such as independent technological innovation, equipment upgrading, energy conservation and emission reduction, and expanded application. In particular, it has been committed to the green and energy-saving orientation. First, it has continuously optimized power consumption, which has been the lowest in the world for more than 20 consecutive years. Second, most have built on-site distributed photovoltaic systems, and some have even consumed a certain proportion of clean energy within their local area networks. The third is to transfer 9 million tons of production capacity from coal-fired power to areas rich in green power. Fourth, the proportion of self-owned coal-fired power has gradually dropped below 55%. In the next step, the further green and low-carbon transformation of electrolytic aluminum will largely rely on the policy dividends of the new power system reform such as direct connection of green electricity.
Second, physical traceability of electricity consumption can better meet the carbon reduction demands of downstream users and more effectively deal with green trade barriers. Aluminum has established a dual circulation development pattern. In 2024, China's export of aluminum materials and products reached 9.54 million tons, accounting for nearly 20% of the total aluminum processing output. The export destinations exceeded 200 countries and regions. Under the global trend of low-carbon development, the requirements for the carbon content of products are getting higher and higher, and international green barriers are constantly increasing. The Notice proposes that export-oriented enterprises with rigid demands for carbon reduction can explore the direct connection of green electricity to existing loads by leveraging the surrounding new energy resources. This can effectively increase the amount of green electricity that can be physically traced for aluminum materials and products. Coupled with the orderly implementation of direct green electricity connection for electrolytic aluminum, the carbon content of aluminum products that meet the requirements of the European Union and other countries and regions as well as downstream customers can be significantly reduced. This is very important for maintaining the international competitiveness of China's aluminium products.
Third, adopt a comprehensive approach to industrial innovation and technological innovation to achieve both stability and effectiveness
To promote green power direct connection in an orderly manner, it is necessary to adhere to scientific and technological innovation as the leading force, safety and reliability as the premise, and economic feasibility as the foundation. By linking project reliability with economy, high-quality and high-level development of green power direct connection can be achieved.
The Notice proposes that "grid-connected green power direct connection projects can independently and reasonably declare grid-connected capacity and negotiate with power grid enterprises to determine power supply responsibilities and costs beyond the grid-connected capacity" and "power grid enterprises should fulfill power supply responsibilities in accordance with the declared capacity of the project and relevant agreements." High reliability is sought for "stability", with a large capacity for project applications and high costs. High economic efficiency is evident, with small project application capacity and low costs. Under the premise of ensuring the safety and reliability of electricity usage, only through technological breakthroughs and optimized management can costs be reduced and efficiency improved to maximize the economic and social advantages of the green power direct connection mode.
The release and implementation of the "Notice" will provide precise policy guidance and practical paths for power users to participate in the establishment of an electricity consumption model of "green electricity production - precise transmission - efficient consumption", effectively enhance the consumption of clean energy, and better promote the construction of a new power system.
