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Red Eléctrica de España and its Chinese counterpart, State Grid Corporation of China, have signed a collaboration agreement for the exchange of experiences regarding electricity operation and transmission. The scope of the Spanish contribution will be based on the integration of renewable, and the Chinese contribution will be centred on technology for very high voltage transmission.
This agreement, proposed by Luis Atienza during his visit to China in July 2010, was encouraged by Li Keqiang, Vice-Premier of China, while visiting Red Eléctrica's Control Centre of Renewable Energies (CECRE) in January this year.
Within the scope of renewable energies, Red Eléctrica shall contribute its knowledge concerning the integration of these technologies into the grid and also regarding the electricity operation systems developed by the company in order to adapt to the particular characteristics for this type of energy. The forecast mechanisms for renewable generation and the monitoring systems of wind power production, as well as regulatory policies, are some of the aspects which the Spanish experts will share with their Chinese counterparts.
For its part, State Grid shall offer its experience regarding electricity transmission at very high voltages, essential for lines which stretch over long distances. The Chinese company has developed the technology which allows the transmission of electricity at 1,000 kilovolts (kV) in alternating current and 800kV in direct current. In Spain the high voltage lines are 220 and 400kV and always in alternating current.
The cooperation between both companies, scheduled for an initial period of three years, will also address other topics related to energy efficiency, the development of smart grids, energy storage and the electric vehicle.
State Grid, one of the largest companies in the world, is a state-owned company created in 2002 to operate the electricity grids in China and offer electricity supply. Today it has 1.5 million employees and amongst its assets are more than 200,000 kilometres of lines which supply energy to 88% of the Chinese territory.