Energy Theatre

Connecting the Dots: How Capital Moves Through the Energy Transition Finance Chain

11 Sep (Fri) Day 2 : 10:45 – 11:35

Full Programme
Energy Theatre

This panel traces the complete journey of capital for the net zero energy transition—from project origination to institutional deployment. Five experts representing each link in the chain (project development, investment banking, institutional investment, professional assurance, and policy/blended finance) will unpack the bottlenecks, handoffs, and solutions at every stage. The discussion follows a three-round format: brief self-introductions, targeted questions on each link’s specific challenges, and one-sentence takeaways on the most critical actions needed. Attendees will gain a holistic, practical understanding of how renewable energy projects get financed, why gaps persist, and what each stakeholder must do to accelerate capital flow. Designed for financiers, developers, policymakers, and advisors, this session bridges silos across the energy transition finance ecosystem.

Session Learnings:

  • How a renewable energy project moves from origination to bankability and eventual institutional ownership.
  • The distinct roles and pain points of investment banks (capital raising & securities) vs. institutional investors (long-term equity).
  • Why professional bodies (SPO providers, auditors, lawyers) are critical for market credibility and unlocking mainstream capital.
  • The real-world bottlenecks at each stage—and how policy, blended finance, and assurance mechanisms address them.
  • A clear, end-to-end mental model of the climate finance value chain specific to the energy transition.

Post-Event Actions:

  • Map your organization’s current position onto the energy transition finance chain and identify the most critical upstream/downstream partner you need to engage.
  • Apply a “chain review” to your next energy project: document the financing handoffs and verify that each link (including assurance and policy enablers) has been addressed.
  • Initiate a cross-stakeholder conversation (e.g., with your bank, investor, or SPO provider) to pre-identify bottlenecks before structuring a deal.
  • Use the one-sentence takeaways from speakers as internal briefing points for your team’s next investment or policy memo on energy transition finance.
  • Advocate for stronger integration of professional assurance (taxonomy verification, legal reviews) early in project development to avoid downstream delays.

Speakers

Prof. Dragon Tang

University of Hong Kong

Professor of Finance

Dragon Tang is Professor of Finance at the University of Hong Kong. He is also a Changjiang Scholar Chair Professor by Ministry of Education of China and Managing Editor of International Review of Finance. He was the former head of finance area in HKU Business School. His research specialties are green finance, ESG, credit derivatives, and China markets. He served as consultant expert on green finance and ESG issues for Asian Development Bank, World Bank and Hong Kong Centre for Green and Sustainable Finance. He provided training lectures for People’s Bank of China and China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission. He received research grants from many organizations including ClimateWorks Foundation. His research findings are published in, among others, Journal of Finance, Journal of Financial Economics, Review of Financial Studies, Journal of Accounting and Economics, Journal of Accounting Research, Management Science and featured in Bloomberg, Financial Times, Wall Street Journal and so on. He received several best research paper awards from journals, conferences, and international organizations including the Global Research Alliance for Sustainable Finance and Investment. He was an inaugural recipient of the Best Doctoral Dissertation Supervisor Award by National Economics Foundation of China. He launched the Master of Sustainable Accounting and Finance (MSAF) program at the University of Hong Kong in 2025.

Speaking at 2026 sessions:

Day 2

Connecting the Dots: How Capital Moves Through the Energy Transition Finance Chain

Weiqing Zhu

Shanghai Treasure Carbon New Energy Environmental Protection Technology Ltd.

Founder, Chairwoman and CEO

Master’s degree from Durham University. Ms. Zhu is a distinguished researcher at the Research Center of Sustainable Development of Fudan University. She is the Deputy Secretary-General of the Carbon Neutrality Committee of the China Energy Conservation Association, Vice President of the GBA Carbon Neutrality Association, Vice President and Secretary-General of the Carbon Neutrality Committee of the International Green Economy Association, an Executive Director of the Center for China and Globalization (CCG), an Industry Mentor for postgraduate students at the China-UK Low Carbon College, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and a Visiting Scholar at the Center for Law and Business, UC Berkeley.

Ms. Zhu is one of the early pioneers in China’s carbon trading and low-carbon industry. She has long been committed to building a comprehensive industrial chain covering carbon asset development and management, carbon trading, and carbon finance. As a representative entrepreneur in China`s low-carbon sector, she has been invited multiple times to deliver speeches at international conferences, including the United Nations Climate Change Conferences and the World Economic Forum in Davos.

My Sustainability Goals for 2026:

1. By 2026, to support stronger carbon market cooperation in Hong Kong and the Asia-Pacific region, with hopes of better alignment of carbon credit standards and improved market connectivity.

2. In Hong Kong, to encourage the development of nature-based and technology-driven climate solutions, and to foster cross-border cooperation that may support measurable emissions reduction

Speaking at 2026 sessions:

Day 2

Connecting the Dots: How Capital Moves Through the Energy Transition Finance Chain

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