From "Understanding the Calculation" to "Coming Down": A Real Inspection of a Zero-Carbon Park

On March 27th, the Zero Carbon Park Special Committee organized its first expert inspection activity, visiting Schneider Electric’s Beijing Park to conduct research and exchange. Through a combination of discussions and on-site visits, the participants discussed issues related to the construction of zero-carbon parks, with more than 30 member units participating.

Schneider Electric’s Beijing Park is one of the representative zero-carbon projects in the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Zone, and the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Zone was also one of the first batch of parks selected for the “National Zero-Carbon Park Construction List,” which gives this inspection high industry reference value.

In the discussion session, Schneider Electric introduced zero-carbon park planning and decarbonization pathways. The content covered full lifecycle management from planning, construction, to operation and maintenance, as well as key directions such as green energy use, green energy supply, green manufacturing, and green buildings. In terms of implementation methods, the participating units generally proposed using scenario calculations to comprehensively evaluate the effects, costs, and benefits of decarbonization measures, and to develop pathways based on actual conditions.

Regarding specific rollout pathways, some participating units mentioned that energy efficiency diagnostics can be used to identify key energy-consuming links, and that priorities should be evaluated separately from the perspectives of economic viability and technical feasibility, so as to form phased implementation plans on that basis. Related practices emphasize that decarbonization work should be incorporated into the long-term operational management system.

On the energy supply side, with the increasing share of new energy and the evolution of the electricity market, the energy mix is changing, which also requires energy management to keep pace. Some participating units suggested that digital tools could be used for fine-grained management of energy use, so as to improve system operating efficiency and optimize energy costs. This capacity building based on systems and digitalization is an important support for advancing the implementation of zero-carbon parks, and it also provides practical directions that can be referenced by related fields.

As a global leader in energy technology, Schneider Electric, relying on the technological advantages of deep integration between digitalization and electrification, has built a complete energy management solution covering medium- and low-voltage distribution, both software and hardware products, and a cloud-edge integrated, end-to-end model. By deeply integrating AI and other digital technologies with energy technologies, the company continuously promotes innovation and implementation practices of frontier technologies across the entire chain and throughout the full lifecycle of source, grid, load, and storage, providing solid technical assurance for the construction of zero-carbon parks. In addition, discussions were also held among all parties regarding product carbon footprint management and building operation optimization. Related practices show that analyzing and tuning energy use and carbon emissions through blockchain, AI, and other technologies helps improve management levels.

After the discussion, the inspection team visited Schneider Electric’s Innovation Center exhibition hall and production lines to learn about its overall solutions in zero-carbon and intelligent manufacturing. Through on-site demonstrations and explanations, it can be seen that Schneider Electric is expanding from the capability of a single piece of equipment to the capability of systematized solutions in areas such as energy management, automation control, and digital platforms.

During the visit, the inspection team exchanged views with personnel on site regarding the applicability of related technologies in different parks and scenarios.

The construction of zero-carbon parks involves not only the application of a single technology or piece of equipment, but also the formation of overall capabilities in areas such as energy management, digital capabilities, and system integration. How to replicate and promote experience, and how to implement it in different regions and parks, remain key issues in current zero-carbon practices.

As the first expert inspection activity, this research aims to promote communication, exchange, and mutual learning. The Zero Carbon Park Special Committee stated that it will continue to organize related inspection and exchange activities, and carry out practical benchmarking and experience sharing through implementation in different scenarios.

By | Lü Siyen, Head of the Innovation Division of the Zero Carbon Park Special Committee, China Energy Economics Research Institute

Produced by | China Energy News (cnenergy)

Editor | Zhao Fangting