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The Inaugural Chevening Energy Market Forum

The inaugural CEPMLP-led Chevening Energy Market Forum was held in Beijing on 21 October 2025, supporting the UK–China Clean Energy Partnership.

Published on 15 December 2025

Deputy Ambassador Geraldine McCafferty (second left), speaking with Prof Shawn Mu (middle), Dr Xiansheng Sun (second right), Dr Eric Xi Chen (2024 Chevening Fellow, right) and Jacob Zhao (British Embassy)

(Left to Right) Jacob Zhao (British Embassy), Deputy Ambassador Geraldine McCafferty, speaking with Professor Shawn Mu, Dr Xiansheng Sun, Dr Eric Xi Chen (2024 Chevening Fellow, right)

The forum was jointly organised with the UK Embassy in China and the British Chamber of Commerce. CEMF was established to support the UK-China Clean Energy Partnership which points to (amongst other areas) strengthening the existing UK-China cooperation on clean energy techs and markets and pursuing new agreements to enhance cooperation in the Energy Market Reform sector, specifically through education and research. CEMF is supported by the UK Government and through the China Net Zero and Sustainable Development Network and the Chevening Programme.

The forum focuses on two key areas directly related to supporting the UK-China Clean Energy Partnership:

  • To showcase the latest research in Energy Market Reform as supported through the Chevening Energy Market Reform Fellowship Programme
  • To increase bilateral research, policy and commercial collaboration between the UK and China to support the broader aims of the UK-China Clean Energy Partnership. 

The forum was opened by the Deputy Ambassador Geraldine McCafferty. Professor Xiaoyi (Shawn) Mu delivered a keynote speech on lessons learned from the UK’s net zero policy. Other keynote speakers include Dr Xiansheng Sun, CEPMLP alumnus and honorary professor, Professor Yang Lei from Peking University’s Energy Research Institute and Professor Michael Grubb of UCL. 

The forum then focuses on 4 key research themes, namely:

  1. Policy research in the top planning of energy transitions and net-zero ambitions
  2. Industrial associations and NGOS for jointly empowering market reforms
  3. Power Market Reform and
  4. Towards a low-carbon energy system for net-zero emissions. 

Around 90-100 delegates from industry, academia and government attended the forum. 

Prof Shawn Mu standing at a podium speaking at the forum.
“A special thank-you to Professor Shawn Mu for steering this initiative with both vision and precision – the kind of leadership that connects real-world reform with academic depth. His efforts didn’t just make the event possible, they made it incredibly meaningful. ”

Fayi Chen, PhD student from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Fayi Chen continued:

"My takeaway for the road ahead: power and carbon markets need a common grammar. If we want credible investment at pace, we have to pay for capability—fast frequency response, flexibility, and reliability—not just kilowatt-hours. Carbon signals must be durable enough to survive their own success, and power-market design has to carry locational and temporal detail so capital knows where to go.

I left with pages of scribbles and a head full of useful discomfort—the good kind that nudges you to build, test, and iterate.”

Story category Academic collaboration