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Increasing the power grid’s ability, i.e. flexibility, to absorb greater amounts of variable renewable energy generation is paramount to meeting China’s carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals. A key solution is to develop a robust mix of energy resources that can help balance the fluctuating supply and demand on the power grid as needed. To support the development of a roadmap for doing so, NRDC and North China Electric Power University (NCEPU) launched a project on September 22 to conduct a technical and economic analysis of the options for improving the flexibility of a new power system with renewable energy at its core. Experts from government agencies, think tanks, and utility companies attended the launch meeting and provided input on the project design, from the research target, cost analysis, and modelling selection, to the role of energy storage and demand response. The launch meeting participants all agreed that a systems approach is needed to improve grid flexibility in an efficient and low-carbon way, with an emphasis on the potential of demand-side resources and market mechanisms.