In both China and Germany, national climate targets are set at the central level, while implementation takes place locally. The cooperation between the two countries therefore focuses on connecting German states and Chinese provinces to exchange practical solutions for industrial transformation, renewable energy integration and low-carbon regional development. A 6-day visit of energy experts from Jiangsu and Sichuan to North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, and Amsterdam, the Netherlands, aimed to strengthen mutual understanding of energy transition pathways and explore opportunities for future cooperation between Chinese provinces and German states on green and low-carbon energy transition.
During the visit, the delegation explored a range of representative energy transition projects, including the Evonik Innovation Factory at Marl Chemical Park, the EUREF Campus in Düsseldorf, the waste-to-hydrogen project of WSW Wuppertaler Stadtwerke GmbH, the structural transformation of the Rhenish mining area in Jülich, the enerPort II logistics terminal in Duisburg, sustainable energy solutions at Amsterdam Science Park, and the Battery Arena Amsterdam. These site visits provided valuable insights into industrial decarbonisation, hydrogen development, energy storage, sustainable urban development, clean energy solutions, and the transformation of former coal-mining regions.
Another highlight of the study tour was the “2026 German States and Chinese Provinces Cooperation Workshop on Green and Low-Carbon Energy Transition”, which was jointly organised by GIZ, the China Electricity Council (CEC), and the Wuppertal Institute on 10 June in Düsseldorf. The workshop provided a platform for decision-makers, energy sector experts and researchers to discuss how regions can accelerate regional decarbonisation and build flexible power systems capable of integrating growing shares of renewable energy on subnational level.
The workshop also launched a comparative analysis report on energy transition developments in NRW, Baden-Württemberg, Jiangsu, and Sichuan. The report identifies common challenges and opportunities and provides a knowledge base for future state-to-province cooperation. In addition, experts from China and Germany engaged in discussions on various topics. The exchanges helped identify areas for future collaboration on industrial decarbonisation, hydrogen and energy storage development, and the creation of flexible and reliable power systems to support the large-scale integration of renewable energy. They also deepened mutual understanding of how climate and energy policies can be translated into practical action at the provincial and state level.
Building on the German delegation’s visit to Jiangsu and Sichuan in June 2025, the study tour demonstrates how long-term state-to-province partnerships can support practical climate action. The cooperation will continue to develop regional solutions that contribute to both China’s climate targets and global decarbonisation efforts.
