In August 2022, the first batch of TCL solar-powered low-carbon campuses were established in Xixiang County, Hanzhong, Shaanxi.

This year, China has outpaced the world in the shift to clean energy, and it’s quickly progressing into a new phase.

Rural communities will be key to this development. They not only bear the brunt of climate impacts but also hold enormous potential to drive economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental gains. Yet they face persistent energy transition challenges and remain overlooked, with an annual funding gap of roughly 2 trillion RMB [US$282 billion] that government resources alone cannot fill. Addressing this gap requires smart, targeted interventions that can stretch limited funds into transformative impact.

New Energy Nexus China’s “Small Money, Big Change” shows how modest, strategically deployed investments can unlock far larger capital flows. By blending policy, market, and philanthropic resources—and grounding projects in local trust and participation—small sums can generate outsized impact: boosting incomes, cutting emissions, improving living standards, and creating inclusive industries.

China’s rapid clean energy expansion illustrates the power of these approaches, offering lessons that extend across the Global South. Here are five key takeaways:

1. Clean energy boosts rural livelihoods.

Renewable energy is more than a climate solution. When projects address concrete community needs, they create new income streams, strengthen resilience, and improve quality of life.

We learned it from the TCL Foundation’s low-carbon campuses.

1.6 MW of solar power was installed across 27 schools, cutting 40,000 tons of CO₂ and generating 17.4 million RMB (US$2.5 million) for education. This showed how philanthropic capital can fund sustainable infrastructure that benefits communities directly.

2. Blended finance makes the impossible possible.

The biggest wins come when public, market, and philanthropic capital work together. Each plays a unique role, and real breakthroughs happen where they intersect, bridging funding gaps and reducing risk.

We learned it from the Dalad Banner Wind Cooperative.

In Inner Mongolia, 132 village collectives co-invested with the government and banks in a 75.6 million RMB [US$10.7 million] wind farm. Each village received guaranteed annual dividends, demonstrating how blended finance can create both financial viability and equitable local benefits.

3. Technology and governance unlock hidden potential.

Digital tools, fintech, and transparent governance models help rural communities access capital, manage risk, and scale solutions faster. Technology alone isn’t enough—participatory management ensures long-term sustainability.

We learned it from Trina Solar and MYbank’s AI-enabled solar financing model.

Data-driven risk models lowered loan rates by 21% for small PV distributors in the “last mile”, expanding access to solar for households while maintaining zero defaults, illustrating how innovation in financing and governance unlocks local potential.

4. People must be at the center.

A just energy transition puts communities, workers, and women at the heart of clean energy projects. Training, shared ownership, and empowerment ensure projects deliver dignity, opportunity, and lasting benefits.

We learned it from the Tianmen women drone pilots.

A 30,000-RMB (US$4,237) seed fund trained over 100 women to operate agri-drones servicing more than 1 million hectares annually, creating new income streams and reducing pesticide use, showing the power of people-focused interventions.

5. Ecosystems scale solutions, not isolated projects.

Long-term transformation requires collaboration across government, finance, enterprises, and communities. When capital flows, policy innovation, and local participation align, isolated projects evolve into replicable ecosystems.

We learned it from Tencent SSV’s solar trust model.

A “charity + capital” trust funded rooftop PV, while surplus revenues supported health and education programs, providing a blueprint for integrated, community-centered clean energy ecosystems.

Small investments, when paired with trust, technology, and collaboration, can generate systemic impact—showing how inclusive, sustainable clean energy is possible for communities across China and the Global South. Read more about these initiatives and how we can make a bigger impact: Download our casebook today.

New Energy Nexus in China

New Energy Nexus (NEX) is a world-leading clean energy accelerator dedicated to advancing the global energy transition. In China, NEX China carries this mission forward with a local, hands-on approach—providing tailored consulting, business matchmaking, and support to governments, industrial parks, universities, and enterprises of all sizes. By identifying and scaling innovative energy transition solutions, integrating resources, and building both online and offline collaboration platforms, NEX China connects entrepreneurs, investors, research institutions, and policymakers.

Learn more about clean energy opportunities in China here.

Written by Jie Xiao, Country Director at New Energy Nexus China

I’ve just come back from three of the world’s biggest climate gatherings — New York Climate Week, Bangkok Climate Action Week, and Shanghai Climate Week — and one thing is crystal clear: the center of gravity in the global energy transition has shifted decisively to Asia. Everywhere I went, the same figures echoed: half of the world’s electricity is already consumed in this region, with Southeast Asia on course to account for 25% of global energy demand growth between now and 2035. The question is no longer whether Asia will lead the energy transition, but how.

And here’s the problem. Much of the conversation still focuses on supply and demand — China providing the technology and capital, Southeast Asia absorbing and applying it — rather than on what they can build together. That picture is badly outdated.

If Asia is to decarbonise at the speed required, this relationship must become a partnership of ecosystems, not just markets. What I saw across these climate weeks was the urgent need for entrepreneurship, collaboration, and shared innovation, not simply more shipments of solar panels across borders.

Asia already sits at the centre of this shift. Southeast Asia’s electricity demand is surging, growing nearly twice as fast as the global average. If these countries choose to lock in new fossil infrastructure, the world loses. If they leapfrog straight to clean energy, the world wins.

From left: Jason Dong, Executive Director of the Shanghai Climate Week Climate Lighthouse Professional Committee; Peter du Pont, Board Member at New Energy Nexus; Leo Horn-Phathanothai, Founder & Convenor of Bangkok Climate Action Week; Jie Xiao, General Manager of New Energy Nexus China; Ian Shih, Member of the Shanghai Climate Week Executive Committee, and International Advisor to the UNITAR Prosperity Alliance (Shanghai); and Dr. Manaswee Arayasiri, Sanitary Engineer at the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.

That is why the relationship between China and Southeast Asia is so pivotal. What the climate weeks in Bangkok and Shanghai showed me is that Southeast Asia is not a passive recipient, but a laboratory for innovation. Local entrepreneurs are building new business models: rooftop solar sold on installment plans, mini-grids designed for island communities, efficiency solutions adapted to local commercial buildings.

And yet, the connective tissue between China’s and Southeast Asia’s clean energy innovation ecosystems remains thin. Chinese companies bring unmatched scale, capital, and supply-chain sophistication. But too many still see Southeast Asia as another export market due to limited understanding of local markets and policies, rather than a partner in co-creation. On the other side, Southeast Asian startups are inventive but often under-capitalised, locked out of manufacturing scale, and slowed by fragmented regulation. Both sides would benefit from deeper integration: shared accelerators, joint venture funds, mutual performance guarantees, and training exchanges that allow ideas to flow in both directions.

One moment in Bangkok captured what cross-border collaboration can look like in practice. At an event co-hosted by organisers of Shanghai and Bangkok Climate Weeks with New Energy Nexus China, we saw Chinese and Thai innovators meet not as exporters and buyers, but as partners in the clean energy transition. Corporates like TCL, LONGi, and Saint-Gobain showed how they’re digitalising factories and decarbonising supply chains, while startups such as Brick Technology, i2Cool, and Thailand’s Altotech shared solutions for smart, energy-efficient buildings. In that exchange, a new ecosystem took shape — built on trust, shared learning, and the belief that Asia’s net-zero future will be co-created, not imported.

Altotech (Bangkok) provides an integrated AIOT energy management platform for building cooling and air-conditioning system management. It automates building management all in one place, reducing electricity cost by potentially 20-30%. Altotech participated in our Smart Energy Hackathon, Smart Energy Accelerator, the Decarbonize Thailand Sandbox, as well as the NEX COP28 Climate Tech Startup Accelerator.

What struck me most after these three climate weeks is how stark the choice is. Asia can double down on a transactional model — hardware shipped one way, demand absorbed the other — or it can step up to build a genuine partnership of entrepreneurs and innovators. The former may look efficient, but it risks a brittle transition that cannot withstand shocks. The latter is harder, messier, slower to start. But it is the only way to build the resilient and adaptive clean energy systems that can carry half the world’s population into a decarbonised future.

Noel Rosal, Governor of Albay Province, Philippines, at Bangkok Climate Action Week 2025, discusses how local communities and institutions across the Asia Pacific are driving climate adaptation and mitigation through finance, leadership, and practical solutions.

China has much to gain from this shift: opening new markets, diversifying demand, and learning from the hard realities of diverse Southeast Asian geographies. Southwest Asia, in turn, gains access to proven technology and capital, while embedding its own innovators in global supply chains. This is not dependency; it is mutual advantage.

What New York Climate Week – with its big names and Western donors – offered was the view from the top: big finance, global politics, systemic frameworks. But it was Bangkok and Shanghai that offered the view from the ground: dynamic, entrepreneurial, urgent. If we want this to be the Asian decade of climate leadership, that is where our focus must be.

The lesson is simple. Southeast Asia’s clean-tech future will be built on ecosystems of entrepreneurs, investors and innovators working across borders, taking risks together, and co-creating solutions suited to the region’s realities. That was the palpable change I felt in Bangkok and Shanghai, and it is the change we must now scale.

New Energy Nexus CEO Andrew Chang talks about three emerging themes he observed at Bangkok Climate Action Week, during The NEX Gigawatt event on October 2, 2025.

The clean energy transition is well underway, and nowhere is this clearer than in Asia. From China’s record-breaking renewable capacity to Pakistan’s fast-growing solar movement, this side of the Pacific is setting the pace for the global shift.

But as the region races toward Net Zero, one thing is clear: solutions are needed faster than ever, and collaboration among leaders and innovators will determine how quickly we get there.

With this urgency in mind, New Energy Nexus convened leaders, entrepreneurs, and investors from across Asia-Pacific at the first-ever Bangkok Climate Action Week – spotlighting the people and partnerships at the forefront of this transition.

“This is an incredible time for New Energy Nexus to represent the chapters, the solutions that are happening on the ground,” said Andrew Chang, CEO at New Energy Nexus.

From the week’s panels and startup pitches, Andrew observed three emerging themes: each a driving force toward Asia’s clean energy future.

Attendees listen intently to a talk during the Climate Lighthouse Asia Kickoff event on September 29, 2025.

Convergence: A transition beyond borders

“Convergence of technology, convergence of people, convergence of collaborators all across the board.” — Andrew Chang

In a region separated by the sea but bound by shared challenges, no country should face the clean energy transition alone. Convergence can usher in progress faster and together.

This narrative shaped the discussion at Climate Lighthouse Asia Kickoff: Scaling Innovation for Sustainable Cities & Industries, where leaders from Shanghai and Bangkok came together to demonstrate what cross-border collaboration can do for the region’s energy transition.

The session highlighted end-to-end decarbonization, showcasing clean energy tech from East and Southeast Asia, and calling for stronger ecosystems supporting Asia’s innovators.

“I think [Shanghai and Bangkok] share a sense that the energy transition is not something that any city or country can achieve on its own. It only makes sense if you look at the challenge regionally and come together to address this together.” — Leo Horn-Phathanothai, Founder & Convenor of Bangkok Climate Action Week and Founder & Executive Director at Just Transition Incubator

New Energy Nexus China General Manager Jie Xiao highlighted how events like these generate opportunities for intersectional collaboration:

“We brought the whole Shanghai Climate Week crew, including founders, big corporates, and small startups, to Thailand to share best practices on green supply chains, industrial parks, and green buildings.”

For startups like i2Cool, a Hong Kong-based venture developing electricity-free cooling solutions, this convergence opens doors to scale their impact.

“From building sectors to the industrial sectors, they all suffer from the heat problem. That’s why we need the cross-border collaboration… so that [our] technology can be well applied in different parts of the world.” — Martin Zhu, CEO and Co-founder of i2Cool

From left: Jason Dong, Executive Director of the Shanghai Climate Week Climate Lighthouse Professional Committee; Peter du Pont, Board Member at New Energy Nexus; Leo Horn-Phathanothai, Founder & Convenor of Bangkok Climate Action Week; Jie Xiao, General Manager of New Energy Nexus China; Ian Shih, Member of the Shanghai Climate Week Executive Committee, and International Advisor to the UNITAR Prosperity Alliance (Shanghai); and Dr. Manaswee Arayasiri, Sanitary Engineer at the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.

Pragmatism: A transition that works for everyone

“Being pragmatic, and understanding… who’s our audience, the communities that we want to support, making sure our solutions can connect with them.” — Andrew Chang

Clean energy capacity growth is already outpacing fossil fuels, but ensuring a just, equitable transition requires more than breaking records. It demands pragmatism, a focus on solutions that work on all fronts: policy, economics, and for people.

At Small Money, Big Change: Catalysing Solutions for a People-Centric Energy Transition, co-hosted by New Energy Nexus, AVPN, and The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), speakers emphasized that financing, inclusion, and agency are just as crucial as innovation.

“When we think about people-centric [energy transition], the word that comes to mind is agency… We really need to be thinking about what resources are already there in these communities and what they’re already doing to help champion for themselves.” — Natasha Allen, Southeast Asia Programme Expert at the Alliance for Rural Electrification

“The lack of knowledge, lack of awareness… makes it difficult for people to really invest in this. Energy workers actually need the reskilling and upskilling in order [for us] to support them, and to be included in the future workforce planning.” — Patrick Yeung, Director, Climate Action at AVPN

“We talk about carbon, investment, communities… but in the end, that is all to make sure all the people are benefiting from the energy transition – by getting affordable access to clean energy,” — Lucky Nurrahmat, Indonesia Country Lead at GEAPP

The discussion reinforced a simple truth: the clean energy transition relies on hard decisions rooted in the lived realities of local communities. Pragmatism isn’t just a buzzword; it’s an approach that will shape how quickly and fairly the transition occurs.

For more on how clean energy can be realistic while centering communities, read New Energy Nexus China’s casebook, Small Money, Big Change: A Casebook on Rural Revitalization through PV Poverty Alleviation, Village-owned Wind Power Projects, and Youth and Women Empowerment.

From left: Patrick Yeung, Director, Climate Action at AVPN; Warisa Sihirunwong, Regional Project Advisor for the Clean, Affordable and Secure Energy Programme, GIZ; Jirapat Horesaengchai, Country Manager at New Energy Nexus Thailand; Natasha Allen, Southeast Asia Programme Expert at the Alliance for Rural Electrification; and Korbinian Stinglhamer, Project Leader at Boston Consulting Group.

People Power: A transition shaped from the ground up

“Last one is people power… People science is just as important as technology science.” — Andrew Chang

At our last event, The NEX Gigawatt: Tapping into ASEAN’s Clean Energy Innovation Ecosystem, people power took center stage.

Entrepreneurs from Vietnam and Thailand showcased breakthrough clean energy solutions, ranging from sand batteries to AI-driven energy management, and grounded in the realities of their own countries and communities.

A highlight of the session was a panel featuring New Energy Nexus leaders from Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, China, Supercharge Australia (our collaboration with EnergyLab), and NEX Ventures (a venture fund based in Singapore). Each shared how their local ecosystems are empowering entrepreneurs to drive the clean energy shift.

“New Energy Nexus is unique to have chapters and people on the ground, building these relationships, deploying these technologies, supporting entrepreneurs,” Andrew said. “That’s our superpower.”

From the Philippines, Country Director Brenda Valerio reflected on how people-centered approaches unlock scale:

“New Energy Nexus in the Philippines is creating an ecosystem for different stakeholders, particularly startups and clean energy enterprises. We’re supporting early-stage clean energy startups and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) that are working on climate and clean energy.”

In Thailand, Country Manager Jirapat Horesaengchai added:

“The role of New Energy Nexus Thailand is to facilitate the whole process of different stakeholders coming together… and grow the ecosystem for clean energy entrepreneurs.”

The event also bore witness to the solar energy revolution in Pakistan through the lens of industry leader Renewables First. The company is partnering with New Energy Nexus to back the next generation of clean energy innovators in the country. (Find out more about our joint program, Climate Innovation Pakistan, here.)

Together, these voices underscored that true transformation starts with people: founders, workers, and communities co-creating solutions that work in their local contexts and ripple outward across the region.

Speakers, panelists, and attendees of The NEX Gigawatt event.

A transition we’re accelerating

Across Asia and beyond, clean energy entrepreneurs are redefining what’s possible. At New Energy Nexus, we’ve not only seen this happen – we’re greasing the wheels on their progress.

For over 20 years now, we’ve supported over 10,000 of these entrepreneurs, helping them turn big ideas into real impact through capital, training, and partnerships.

The insights from Bangkok Climate Action Week are more than talking points and takeaways. They form a roadmap for how to fast-track the transition, and where clean energy innovators come in. When they are empowered to connect across borders, engineer solutions according to people’s needs, and lead from the ground up, they can spark change that scales far beyond their own localities.

In backing their success, New Energy Nexus is not just supporting startups – we’re charting a course towards 100% clean energy for 100% of the population.

Want to get involved? Check out our programs here, and get first dibs on clean energy opportunities when you sign up for our newsletter.

Photo from TERA-Award

The effects of climate change are becoming harder to ignore, from extreme weather to rising energy demands. But alongside these challenges is a powerful opportunity to rethink how the world is powered.

Around the world, entrepreneurs are creating clean technologies that cut pollution, protect communities, and open new pathways for sustainable growth. To turn this wave of climate innovation into lasting change, we need to spotlight the startups driving it and give them the tools and connections they need to scale.

That is where the TERA-Award plays a vital role. Now in its fourth edition, the platform provides promising climate technologies with the spotlight, connections, and funding they need to grow faster and reach more people.

This year, New Energy Nexus China helped bring some of the best ideas to the table. Out of a record-breaking 785 entries, nine of the 28 finalists were startups we recommended – including the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners, plus five Merit Award recipients. Together, they took home over US$1.15 million in prizes and, more importantly, the resources and networks to turn their solutions into global impact.

The winning startups

Gold Winner – Barocal (United Kingdom)

Barocal is transforming cooling and heating by replacing harmful refrigerant gases with solid-state materials. Developed over 15 years at the University of Cambridge, the technology delivers higher efficiency, lower costs, and lower emissions, tackling major environmental challenges head-on.

Its retrofit-friendly design integrates seamlessly into existing infrastructure, making it easier for industries to adopt greener, more cost-effective systems.

“Build better products, not just greener ones… If you can offer solutions that are cheaper, smaller, faster, or more flexible and more sustainable, you’re in business.” – Florian Schabus, CCO

Photo from Barocal

Silver Winner – Feon Energy (United States)

Feon Energy is reinventing battery electrolytes with novel molecules that make batteries safer, more powerful, and more energy-dense – without raising costs or disrupting manufacturing. Its drop-in technology is proving itself today in high-performance markets such as drones and UAVs, and is already being developed with partners in electric vehicles and energy storage systems.

With the potential to boost energy density by 50% while cutting lithium use by up to 40%, Feon is accelerating adoption across the battery industry and building trust through real-world validation and long-term collaboration.

“For the first time in human history, we have the tools to engineer our environment and our planet’s future, not just adapt to it… The impact you create can shape the world for generations to come.” – Wenxiao Huang, CEO and co-founder

Photo from Feon Energy

Bronze Winner – Syzygy Plasmonics (United States)

Syzygy Plasmonics uses a plasmonic photocatalyst to drive chemical reactions with light instead of heat from combustion. Their NovaSAF platform transforms biogas from landfills or dairy farms into sustainable aviation fuel, tackling emissions from both waste and air travel.

Highly energy-efficient and made from low-cost materials, the technology offers an accessible and scalable path to decarbonizing aviation, while unlocking value from underused resources.

“Expect that things won’t work immediately and you will have to try again and again… If you do not give up and you do not get discouraged, eventually you will find success.” – Trevor Best, CEO

Photo from Syzygy Plasmonics

Beyond the podium finishers, five out of 11 Merit Awardees were also recommended by New Energy Nexus China:

• Electra Vehicles
• Feynman Dynamics
• Gasgene
• HAWAGA Energy Storage
• Twelve

Why it matters

For three years, New Energy Nexus China has partnered with the TERA-Award to connect it with our global network, promote the competition, and help bring advanced green energy solutions to market. This year, the startups that won through our pipeline did not only bring home huge prizes – they’ve proven that when entrepreneurs get the right support, their ideas can reach the global stage and have a far greater impact than where they started.

At New Energy Nexus, we build ecosystems that help climate tech entrepreneurs thrive. That means giving them access to mentorship, funding, technical expertise, and markets where their solutions can make a difference. With entrepreneurs like TERA-Award leading the way, backed by our programs across the world, we’re fast-tracking the shift to 100% clean energy for all.

Ready to unlock your own startup’s potential? Find out how we can support you here.

New regulations covering China’s building sector could open up opportunities for more energy efficiency innovations. The market is ripe for startups to take advantage and accelerate the country’s clean energy transition, writes Yi Luo, a Climate Fintech Program Associate at New Energy Nexus China.

Skyline in Pudong Shanghai

China’s new General Code for Building Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Utilization (建筑节能与可再生能源利用通用规范) was formally implemented in April 2022, representing a big shift in the building and construction sector. It requires that all new, expanded and reconstructed buildings, as well as energy-saving renovations of existing buildings, be designed for energy efficiency. Data specifying the building’s energy consumption and carbon emission are also required.

Currently, there are no specific requirements for energy efficiency in the construction of new buildings, and instead only passive saving strategies like natural lighting and heat insulation are prioritized. Currently only energy efficiency disclosure is compulsory in China, but the industry is expected to evolve in the coming years with the expansion of the country’s energy efficiency regulations.

The new regulations introduced in April 2022 will impact the construction industry in three main ways.

Firstly, it covers the whole process of energy saving and renewable energy systems in newly constructed, existing, and reconstructing buildings. Conventional energy saving measures focus only on either material or construction process, but post-construction management will now receive more attention (source).

Secondly, the regulation enforces disclosure of energy consumption and carbon emissions. The Code specifies a comprehensive measurement and supervision standard, especially for buildings over 20,000m2.

Thirdly, there are more requirements for energy saving efficiency, compared to the 2016 energy efficiency code. The average energy saving efficiency in cold regions of the country will exceed 75%, 65% for other areas and 72% for public infrastructure (source, source).

Based on the “double-carbon” vision proposed by President Xi Jinping and the “Fourteenth Five-year Plan”, we estimate that the disclosure requirement is just a start, and compulsory application of energy saving strategies could come out within the next three years. In that time, we expect the industry to really take off.

How will China’s energy efficiency sector grow?

The value of the construction energy saving industry is estimated to reach around CNY 700 billion (USD 104 billion) in 2022 and the operation stage energy saving would be up to CNY 600 billion yuan (USD 89 billion) (source) (source).

Current energy saving solutions mainly cover the use of new energy, energy storage and batteries, and integrated central systems. As markets and technologies mature, the construction energy saving industry will evolve in some interesting ways.

Yan’an East Road Interchange, Shanghai, China (source)

Here are several ways entrepreneurs can take advantage:

1. Cooperate with residential telecommunication companies

Giants in China like Meidi, Huawei, and Xiaomi are all quite proactive in IoT and intelligent home systems. Start-ups with technologies in this area could cooperate with these companies to offer a bundle service. The energy saving solution system could merge as a core part of the intelligent home system. In addition to higher efficiency, another financial benefit are savings on reconstruction and installation costs.

Home telecommunication companies can also help startups access the market. These giants have gathered sound reputation, so cooperation with them also provides a quality endorsement for start-ups.

2. Cooperate with property management companies

Property companies like Wanda also proposed the idea of “AI + intelligent buildings or neighborhoods” in 2021(source). Supporting a property management company which controls a large neighborhood could create more synergy and efficiency – a win-win deal for each side of the business.

3. GIS and regional geographic measurement projects

An integrated platform could also link to other research and measurement activities. It could further integrate with energy networks based on blockchains and other technology, to help regulate and control the energy industry on a regional or national level.

4. Adopt or cooperate with clean energy, energy storage, and virtual power plants

As these are all ways to save energy, that could work together to construct an energy-saving ecosystem (source).

Yi Luo is a Climate Fintech Program Associate at New Energy Nexus China

_{[1] According to ‘China Construction Energy Consumption and Carbon Emission Report (2021)’ (《中国建筑能耗与碳排放报告（2021）》), in 2019, the construction operation stage consumed 1.03 billion tce (21.2% of total national energy consumption) and emitted 2.13 billion ton of carbon dioxide (21.6% of total national carbon emission). It’s estimated that the energy consumption and carbon emission would reach 1.192 billion ton of coal equivalent (tce) and 2.368 billion ton. The industry could create a potential economic value of 480~600 billion yuan (taking the energy saving efficiency as 25% and the coal price of 1600~2000 yuan per ton).}