China Huadian: harnessing the sun, wind, and nature for hybrid energy optimisation
Publication Type
Case
Publication Date
11-2025
Abstract
Set in 2025, the case focuses on China Huadian Corporation (Huadian), a state-owned power supplier and a Fortune Global 500 company in China. Students step into the role of two newly recruited engineers working at Huadian’s power plant in Xinjiang, a northwestern province of China, touted as a renewable energy goldmine due to the abundant wind and sunlight it receives. Huadian optimises power generation by combining wind, solar, thermal, and energy storage to overcome the limitations of standalone energy sources.
The induction tasks for the engineers involve balancing power supply, cost of power generation, carbon emission limits, and intertemporal storage management. They are given three scenarios: (1) a sudden drop in solar power due to a sandstorm, (2) multiple energy sources with carbon emission caps, and (3) annual power scheduling for Jiquan, the world’s longest power transmission line across China. The key question assigned is: How can linear programming be used to optimise wind, solar, thermal, and storage resources while minimising the cost of power generation?
Keyword(s)
Sustainability, Optimization, Linear Programming
Discipline
Asian Studies | Operations and Supply Chain Management
Research Areas
Operations Management
Data Source
Field Research
Industry
Energy and natural resources sector
Geographic Coverage
China
Temporal Coverage
2025
Education Level
Executive Education; Postgraduate; Undergraduate
Publisher
Singapore Management University
Case ID
SMU-25-0032
Additional URL
https://ccx-shop.smu.edu.sg/products/china-huadian-harnessing-the-sun-wind-and-nature-for-hybrid-energy-optimisation
Comments
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