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| Project Details |
| Funding Scheme : | Early Career Scheme | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Project Number : | 24602421 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Project Title(English) : | Legal and Regulatory Pathway of Renewable Energy Integration in China: Comparative and Empirical Perspectives | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Project Title(Chinese) : | 中國可再生能源消納的法律和監管路徑：比較和實證的視角 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Principal Investigator(English) : | Prof Zhang, Hao | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Principal Investigator(Chinese) : | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Department : | Faculty of Law | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Institution : | The Chinese University of Hong Kong | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| E-mail Address : | haozhang@cuhk.edu.hk | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tel : | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Co - Investigator(s) : |
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| Panel : | Humanities, Social Sciences | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Subject Area : | Social and Behavioural Sciences | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Exercise Year : | 2021 / 22 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fund Approved : | 397,410 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Project Status : | Completed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Completion Date : | 30-6-2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Project Objectives : |
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| Abstract as per original application (English/Chinese): |
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| Realisation of objectives: | The research, guided by three core objectives, has successfully achieved the intended outcomes, with all objectives fully realised. Objective 1: This component situates China’s regulatory and policy framework for renewable energy integration within the broader context of electricity market reform, drawing on literature primarily focused on liberalised models in the EU and US. It establishes a theoretical foundation for understanding the similarities and differences between China’s reforms - particularly rules governing generator access to the transmission network - and the third-party access regime in more liberalised systems. This theoretical lens enables a more critical and in-depth analysis of China’s approach to integrating renewable energy. Objective 2: The case studies offer empirical insights into the implementation of national renewable energy laws and policies, the causes of renewable energy curtailment, and how these issues are addressed in practice. Fieldwork included interviews in selected provinces that either produce or consume renewable energy. Given the scarcity of primary data and the rapid evolution of the regulatory landscape, this empirical research fills key information gaps, supports the doctrinal analysis in Objective 1, and grounds the project's conclusions and recommendations in real-world practice. Objective 3: Building on the doctrinal and empirical findings, the project contributes to ongoing policy discussions on how regulatory frameworks in China can be improved to better support renewable energy integration. These discussions are developed through critical legal analysis and are reflected throughout the research outputs. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Summary of objectives addressed: |
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| Research Outcome | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Major findings and research outcome: | The research outcomes of this project include: (i) a research monograph published by Cambridge University Press; (ii) three peer-reviewed journal articles; (iii) a book chapter in an edited volume co-edited with four leading energy law scholars, and another chapter currently in production and scheduled for publication in 2026; and (iv) presentation of research findings at international and regional academic conferences and seminars, engaging both academic and policy audiences. The major findings of the project are as follows: (i) China’s Renewable Energy Law has introduced a range of financial and regulatory incentives that have significantly expanded the installed capacity of modern renewable energy, particularly wind and solar. These incentives are designed around a market-oriented approach that assumes the presence of a electricity market based on a liberalised model. Doctrinal analysis reveals that China’s electricity market reform, and reforms across its network-dependent energy sectors, are influenced by liberalised market structures. However, implementation has been slow and uneven, resulting in a ‘hybrid’ market where regulatory and market mechanisms coexist. This hybrid system, combined with unclear rules on grid access and coordination, has constrained large-scale integration of renewable energy. Despite rapid capacity growth, renewable energy consumption remains suboptimal due to persistent curtailment, particularly in provinces with rich renewable resources. (ii) To address the inadequacies of market reform, the central government has introduced targeted regulatory interventions, such as mandatory renewable energy targets, capacity monitoring, and consumption quotas. These measures have proven effective in reducing curtailment and improving utilisation rates. However, the long-term viability of such top-down mechanisms remains uncertain, raising concerns about institutional sustainability and the potential for policy fatigue. (iii) A notable shift in recent years has been the increasing prioritisation of renewable energy within the trading component of China’s electricity market. New regulatory provisions now allow renewable sources preferential access to the grid to meet demand. Of particular significance is the revival of policies supporting direct power trading for solar energy at the distribution level. This suggests a move toward embedding renewable integration within market mechanisms rather than relying solely on administrative mandates, offering a more durable and scalable pathway for accelerating China’s energy transition. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Potential for further development of the research and the proposed course of action: |
Building on these findings, future research could explore the evolving relationship between regulatory interventions and market-based mechanisms in supporting renewable energy integration. In particular, further analysis is needed to assess the long-term effectiveness and adaptability of China’s hybrid electricity market, especially as it seeks to balance administrative controls with market liberalisation. A comparative study of emerging regulatory models in other jurisdictions may also offer insights into best practices for aligning renewable energy policy with grid and market reforms. The next phase of research will focus on analysing recent developments in direct power trading and their implications for decentralised energy systems. This will involve interdisciplinary methods combining legal analysis, policy evaluation, and stakeholder interviews to understand institutional dynamics and regulatory capacity. Findings will support policy recommendations for building a more coherent and flexible regulatory framework that can sustain higher levels of renewable energy integration over time. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Layman's Summary of Completion Report: | This research project examines how China is trying to increase the use of renewable energy, such as wind and solar power, and the legal and regulatory tools it uses to achieve this goal. While China has made impressive progress in building renewable energy capacity, much of this energy is not fully used because of problems in how the electricity market works. The study shows that although the government has introduced financial support and policies to promote renewables, the existing electricity market system - partly controlled and partly market-based - creates barriers to using this energy efficiently. The research is important because it explains why simply building more renewable energy is not enough; effective rules and market structures are also needed to deliver clean energy to users. It highlights how government regulatory policies and market reforms must work together to reduce energy waste and support a greener economy. The project adds value by offering a clearer understanding of how laws and regulations affect the success of clean energy transitions. It also provides useful insights for other countries facing similar challenges in balancing government control and market forces to promote sustainable energy use. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Research Output | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peer-reviewed journal publication(s) arising directly from this research project : (* denotes the corresponding author) |
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| Recognized international conference(s) in which paper(s) related to this research project was/were delivered : |
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| Other impact (e.g. award of patents or prizes, collaboration with other research institutions, technology transfer, etc.): |
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| Realisation of the education plan: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SCREEN ID: SCRRM00542 |