During a press conference held by the State Council Information Office on October 23, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), Tao Qing, shared insights into the development of the industrial and information sectors in the first three quarters of 2024. Tao emphasized that green and low-carbon initiatives are fundamental to the new type of industrialization. He noted that this year, the MIIT has been intensifying its policy support, collaborating with relevant departments to release the “Guidance on Accelerating Green Development in Manufacturing.” This initiative aims to enhance the cultivation of green factories and promote energy-saving and carbon-reduction technologies throughout the industrial sector, ultimately forging a competitive edge in green production.
Tao reported positive progress in the green and low-carbon advancement within the industrial sector, attributing it to collective efforts. He mentioned that in 2023, the country established 50 new national green data centers, with the average utilization rate of renewable energy exceeding 50%. The efficiency of resource utilization has also improved, with an estimated 1.7 billion tons of industrial solid waste recycled in the first three quarters. Anticipated figures suggest that the water reuse rate in large-scale industrial operations may surpass 94% for the year. The momentum for green development is accelerating, with the value of national green factories now making up over 18% of the total output in the manufacturing sector. Additionally, it’s projected that the total output value of environmental protection equipment manufacturing will approach one trillion yuan, with green ship orders capturing 75.9% of the global market share from January to September.
Looking ahead, Tao highlighted that the MIIT plans to strengthen the green and low-carbon development mechanism by drafting an “Action Plan for Green and Low-Carbon Development in Manufacturing,” aimed at facilitating a comprehensive green transition in economic and social development.
Key initiatives include:
1. Expediting the establishment of carbon footprint accounting standards for industrial products, specifically targeting critical products such as steel, electrolytic aluminum, lithium batteries, and new energy vehicles. The goal is to facilitate reductions in the carbon emissions of products throughout their lifecycle while promoting upgrades in the industrial and supply chains.
2. Enhancing the construction of a comprehensive utilization system for emerging solid waste. The focus will be on retired power batteries by creating robust management practices and revising industry standards to ensure the development of new recycling and utilization systems. Attention will also be directed towards planning for the recycling of retired photovoltaic components, preparing for peak retirements.
3. Actively promoting the use of clean low-carbon hydrogen in industrial applications by addressing the bottlenecks that currently hinder its utilization. Tao mentioned that there would be a concentrated effort on policy innovation and integration to facilitate its large-scale application in the metallurgy, chemical, and petrochemical industries, as well as breakthroughs in diverse scenarios such as green microgrids for industry, green shipping, and green aviation.
