The Beijing-based Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organization signed a memorandum of understanding with the Royal Academy of Engineering in London on Thursday, UK time, to jointly support and enable open dialogue on sustainable energy development.

Liu Zhenya, chairman of GEIDCO and the China Electricity Council, said: "Great Britain could become a hub for power exchange in Northern Europe, from Iceland and the Nordic countries to Spain and Italy in the South."

In his keynote speech, Liu outlined his vision for a general layout for a European Energy Interconnection system, which includes the construction of a backbone grid to support development and the need to promote introduction of clean power from Africa and Asia into an intercontinental grid.

That proposal is part of GEIDCO's vision for a global energy interconnection system that provides a reliable supply of clean power while driving economic growth. GEI is a globally interconnected smart grid ,with ultra-high voltage grids as its backbone.

"If we can exploit 7.7 percent of the total area of the Saharan Desert for solar energy, or one-fourth of the total area of Greenland for wind power, the future global demand for electric power can be fully met," Liu added.

David Thomlinson, chair of the International Committee of the Royal Academy of Engineering, said "I would like to congratulate GEIDCO on their drive and commitment to explore potentially transformative ideas and to build global links around sustainable energy provision for the world."

Europe is actively promoting the development of clean energy, with significant progress. In January, the European Parliament voted in favor of raising the European Union's 2030 renewable energy target to 35 percent, 8 percentage points higher than the 27 percent target previously proposed by the European Commission and the European Council.

Envisioning the future of energy and power in UK in the coming 20 years, John Loughhead, chief scientific adviser at BEIS, said "As we pursue our de-carbonization and clean growth strategies, novel means to supply and trade power will be of great importance in the energy systems of the future."

China proposed the GEI vision at the UN Development Summit in September 2015. GEIDCO has been committed to promoting the development of the initiative to meet global power demand with clean and green alternatives. It currently has 365 members across 45 countries and regions.