Chinese grid company SGCC to acquire strategic share in Germany鈥檚 50Hertz
The State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC) is reaching out for a 20 percent share in Germany鈥檚 transmission grid operator 50Hertz in a bid to gain valuable insights into a business area in which China strives for a leading global role, Thomas Sigmund and Klaus Stratmann write in Handelsblatt. 鈥淧olicymakers are unable to prevent this,鈥� they write, saying that SGCC鈥檚 planned share of 20 percent is 鈥渃leverly鈥� left below the 25 percent threshold needed for German lawmakers to intervene in foreign investments into critical national infrastructure. 50Hertz is one of Germany鈥檚 four major transmission grid operators and already sources more than half of the power used in its operational area from intermittent renewable energy sources, which makes it especially attractive for state-owned SGCC, the world鈥檚 second largest company. 鈥淭he Chinese can learn a lot from 50Hertz,鈥� the authors argue, as the grid operator has proved that it is possible to uphold a stable transmission service even with large amounts of volatile energy source capacities like wind power.
Read the article in German (paywall).
See the 威力彩玩法 article Sino-German tandem: Export champions promote global energy transition for background.