Beijing Energy Congress 2027 Executive Committee sets out an event plan for progress

Taking place at the Beijing Energy Congress host venue, the China National Convention Center, the meeting examined a wide range of subjects, including the impact of market shifts on the nation and the global energy system beyond. The committee brought together influential figures from China’s energy ecosystem to review strategic session themes and suggest priority speakers to deliver expertise as the world attends Beijing Energy Congress 2027.

Following the release of China’s 15th Five- Year Plan, the committee sought to ensure the global reach of the congress as a key fixture on the energy conference calendar.

Energy strategy and resilience

Amid the current unrest in the Middle East, the committee highlighted geopolitical insights and developments as a key component of the Beijing Energy Congress energy strategy and policy theme.

Major companies involved in bulk commodities such as coal and natural gas place great emphasis on geopolitical issues, viewing them as closely tied to energy security, bottom-line thinking, and supply chains.

“Both the industry and investors are highly attentive to policy forecasts and assessments in this area,” the committee confirmed.

China has institutions engaged in researching energy, geopolitics, and energy enterprises. As they examine energy resilience, members are looking to experts in international relations to speak at Beijing Energy Congress 2027.

A trend toward energy independence is gaining traction globally. In the future, more countries may turn to domestic resources, seeking to enhance energy self-sufficiency and transition from reliance on external supply to energy independence.

“Countries and companies are rethinking how they plan for the future, and the connotation of energy security is evolving,” the committee heard.

“This shift aligns with the thinking behind China’s ongoing formulation of the 15th Five-Year Plan.”

In the area of energy enterprises, members discussed placing a strong focus on corporate strategy, including sustainability and ESG. Discussions could be framed around the context of the energy transition, internal and external circumstances, and policy documents — such as requirements and goals within the 15th Five-Year Plan — while also embracing corporate strategy, development characteristics and trends, and future outlooks.

Enterprises are making large-scale investments in energy storage. These fulfil corporate responsibilities while they are also exploring commercial returns. The committee proposed inviting representatives from enterprises specialising in sustainability or investment strategy.

Cooperation for future China energy security

Among the threads Beijing Energy Congress 2027 will examine is domestic production and the supply lines that provide natural gas supply security.

Committee executives are seeking added perspective on “how to further deepen medium- to long-term cooperation in the context of a buyer’s market, taking shape under new circumstances, and the growth of China’s future demand”.

This could come from executives of gas divisions at major China-based companies and from senior executives of global LNG trading departments.

The current period of ample supply presents the best opportunity to build a more resilient cooperation framework, and building enduring partnerships between global sellers and Chinese buyers could ensure “success in China”.

The current global situation has drawn attention to which countries are the most resilient. China’s long-term planning capabilities and systemic resilience demonstrated in crisis response have attracted widespread interest, with many viewing China as one of the most resilient countries and looking to learn from its experience.

By inviting representatives of international NOCs, procurement leaders, and heads of international cooperation departments at Chinese companies, Beijing Energy Congress 2027 could focus on how to make commercial ties in crude oil trade more secure, and on better collaboration with international partners.

Foreign-invested oil companies operating in China are involved in trade, but also interested in investments, the committee was told. This makes discussions on upstream oil and gas exploration and development, including unconventional oil and gas, relevant with regard to the topic of international cooperation.

Enduring energy supply meets new sources

With hydrocarbon supplies thrust back into the global energy spotlight amid conflict in the Middle East, Beijing Energy Congress 2027 will feature additional discussions related to oil.

The committee suggested discussions should explore how to “shift oil security from emergency response toward more institutionalised arrangements”. This could include options such as deepening long-term contract mechanisms, investment in alternative supply channels, and coordinated optimisation of strategic reserves.

Committee members suggested examining upstream oil E&P, including discussions of relevant technologies, such as those for integrating new energy sources.

Green energy progress with collaboration

With insights from a diverse mix of speakers from government, enterprises, and research institutions, the committee is driving Beijing Energy Congress 2027 to examine China’s already significant green energy achievements and opportunities. These include scaling onshore and offshore wind, biofuels as an alternative energy pathway for transport and industry, and decarbonising the maritime economy for greener global trade.

Alongside power system resilience, members have called for the need to clarify how to achieve effective operation, and to explore how to further advance development in the context of renewable energy, which already accounts for a high proportion of China’s power mix. This would cover areas such as investment and flexible peak-shaving power generation.

China is actively promoting the development of green fuels, including biofuels … further improvements are needed in areas such as standards and the sustainability certification of green fuels, while the EU has extensive experience in sustainability certification.

Battery storage systems, including their flexibility, stability, and role in renewable-driven operations, will also be in focus as China is proactive in promoting the development of green fuels — such as biofuels — but standards and sustainability certification need to be enhanced. Countries and regions with well-established green sustainability certification systems could share their experience at Beijing Energy Congress 2027.

Since China is relatively rich in geothermal resources at a time when geothermal energy accounts for about 5% of new energy supply, it could become one of the future directions for new energy development; however, there is a need to modernise the grid and globalise China’s power infrastructure for a renewable future.

Demand spotlight

Beijing Energy Congress 2027 will look to domestic and international speakers to share perspectives on key demand-side application scenarios globally, including in China, such as future power generation, transportation applications, and the development of AI and data centres. Through dedicated LNG discussions, the committee hopes the event will explore how Chinese buyers can adjust their procurement logic in response to changes in the context of the new LNG trade landscape. Currently, many domestic buyers in China still follow the traditional mindset of “procurement based on demand”. Discussions, from the buyer and seller perspectives, could examine why domestic companies have been reluctant to change and what constraints exist. 

High hopes for nuclear and fusion

While it currently accounts for only about 3% of primary energy consumption, nuclear energy input is expected to increase amid the hope that, through technological advancements, this share will rise to 10% by 2045. The next generation of this re-emerging energy source will be on the Beijing Energy Congress 2027 agenda, with insights from Chinese and international experts. Committee members have also recommended a spotlight on China’s hydrogen journey, including green-led production, and how that could be of value to the world at scale.

The country is also making breakthroughs and innovations in nuclear fusion technology.

Carbon market connectivity

Opportunities are arising for cooperation between China and Asian and European carbon markets. These include the Paris Agreement, the implementation of carbon border adjustment mechanisms, and the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s efforts to establish an international carbon offsetting scheme for aviation.

Active Asian countries include Singapore, which leads in mechanisms, institutions, and system development, and Vietnam, which is also building a national carbon market. China’s ETS, the China National Emissions Trading System, is the world’s largest carbon market by covered emissions (according to the International Carbon Action Partnership).

Financial institutions are imposing increasingly stringent low-carbon requirements on investment portfolios. New energy enterprises face financing challenges in areas such as low-carbon transition, overseas investment, and technological innovation.

Currently, secondary market trading volume in China is relatively low, while in the primary market (allowance allocation), sectors such as power, steel, cement, and electrolytic aluminium have already reached 8 billion tons in coverage.

Beijing Energy Congress 2027 will examine this, as well as green and transition finance, as the industrial sector transforms.