This photo taken on July 5, 2025 shows power lines of the Changji-Guquan ±1100 kV ultra-high voltage direct current power transmission project in the Kazak Autonomous County of Mori, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Xinjiang, a region rich in solar and wind energy resources, has vigorously developed the new energy industry in recent years, accelerating the construction of large-scale wind and photovoltaic power base projects. (Photo by Zhang Limin/Xinhua)

London - 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.

This photo taken on Sept. 10, 2025 shows the Dalad Banner photovoltaic base in the Kubuqi Desert, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. In the Kubuqi Desert, rows of blue solar panels stretch across the sands, turning the desert into a sea of clean energy. In recent years, the area has adopted a "PV-based desert control" model, generating green electricity above while restoring the ecosystem below. This approach not only boosts new energy development but also helps combat desertification. (Xinhua/Li Zhipeng)

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.

An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 2, 2024 shows China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN)'s "Fuxi No. 1" wind power-fishery integrated project in Shanwei, south China's Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)

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.

Visitors look at a model of a fully automatic hydrogen-powered train at the 2024 World Manufacturing Convention in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Sept. 21, 2024. The 2024 World Manufacturing Convention opened Friday in Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui Province, highlighting the latest products and innovations in the manufacturing sector. (Xinhua/Huang Bohan)