Recently, the Hubei Provincial Development and Reform Commission and the Hubei Energy Bureau issued a notice, making systematic arrangements for the application scope, plan preparation, review and application, construction and operation, and exit mechanisms of multi-user green electricity direct connection projects across the province, to further promote nearby development and utilization of new energy and better meet enterprises' green energy consumption needs.
The notice proposed that Hubei will advance the construction of multi-user green electricity direct connection projects in an orderly manner based on different energy consumption scenarios. New loads that have not yet applied for installation with power grid enterprises, or those that have applied but the power supply project has not yet commenced, can be supported by building new energy projects through green electricity direct connection. For users already in operation, they can also build corresponding new energy and supporting facilities based on new load additions and actual energy consumption needs.
In terms of key support targets, the policy covers enterprises in key energy-consuming industries, provincial-level key energy consumption units, export-oriented enterprises with export performance, and their upstream and downstream enterprises. Relevant entities can leverage nearby new energy resources to enhance their green electricity consumption levels through multi-user green electricity direct connection.
Industrial parks, zero-carbon parks, and incremental distribution grids are application scenarios receiving key policy support. All or part of the loads within the parks can form a direct connection relationship with nearby new energy projects, achieving coordinated layout of power supply and load. Computing centers included in relevant national layouts or local plans can also support the development of surrounding new energy projects according to actual needs.
In terms of resource organization methods, distributed PV can participate in multi-user green electricity direct connection through centralized collection, providing an implementation path for decentralized new energy resources to connect to multi-user projects. The policy also encourages projects to integrate energy storage facilities to enhance power regulation capability and system operation stability.
The project construction should clearly define the responsible entities. In principle, the main units participating in the project should have independent legal person status, which can be solely controlled by the load side or power supply side, or jointly established through investment by relevant entities. Park-type projects can be organized and implemented by qualified park management agencies or third-party entities based on actual management and operation conditions.
The project implementation plan needs to coordinate power supply, load, direct connection lines, substation facilities, energy storage facilities, and connection systems, specify the construction scale, implementation sequence, investment arrangement, operation mode, safety responsibilities, and mechanisms for electricity metering and fee settlement, and conduct necessary investment estimation, financial evaluation, and system connection analysis.
In the application and review stage, municipal and prefectural energy authorities will review the project plans, select the best ones to form application opinions, and then report them to the provincial energy authority. The provincial energy bureau will announce the project list in batches based on project conditions and construction maturity, and incorporate eligible new energy projects into the annual development and construction arrangement according to relevant requirements.
After entering the project list, the construction entities need to complete procedures such as approval, filing, planning, land use, and environmental impact assessment in accordance with the law, ensuring that the actual construction content is consistent with the approved plan. Power grid enterprises should provide connection services according to project needs, cooperate in handling related businesses, and offer necessary support for project construction and operation.
After the project is put into operation, all participating parties need to clarify property rights boundaries, safety responsibilities, and operation and maintenance duties, and improve mechanisms for electricity metering, electricity fee settlement, and surplus electricity grid connection. The project should also comply with electricity market trading rules and must not use the green electricity direct connection mechanism to evade the system responsibilities and market obligations that should be assumed.
Hubei will also establish a full-process management mechanism covering project application, construction, operation, and exit. For projects where construction conditions undergo significant changes, cannot be implemented for a long time, or no longer meet policy requirements, the competent authorities may adjust or cancel their project qualifications as appropriate. When substantial changes occur in key elements such as project power supply, load, lines, and investment entities, it is in principle necessary to re-perform evaluation or application procedures.
This policy further clarifies the implementation boundaries and operational procedures of multi-user green electricity direct connection in Hubei, helping to promote precise alignment between new energy resources and industrial loads. As entities such as parks, manufacturing enterprises, export-oriented enterprises, and computing centers accelerate their participation, green electricity direct connection is expected to become an important means to increase the proportion of green electricity consumption, promote new energy absorption, and drive low-carbon transformation of industries.
