China is taking significant strides toward a greener economy by constructing zero-carbon industrial parks, marking a key milestone in its environmental initiatives.
The move gained momentum following the Central Economic Work Conference in December, where national leaders outlined economic priorities for 2025, emphasizing green transition as a top agenda item. These industrial parks are envisioned as crucial hubs to help China achieve its ambitious climate goals.
Ambitious Climate Commitments
China has pledged to peak carbon emissions before 2030 and attain carbon neutrality by 2060. The development of zero-carbon industrial parks is integral to these commitments, representing the nation’s dedication to integrating sustainability into its modernization efforts.
Ordos City: A Pioneer in Zero-Carbon Development
While a universal definition of a “zero-carbon industrial park” is still evolving, several cities have begun crafting their own models since 2021. Ordos City, located in the Chinese mainland’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, has emerged as a frontrunner.
In 2022, Ordos announced the creation of what it describes as the “world’s first zero-carbon industrial park,” further upgrading it in July 2024. The city also established China’s first local standard for zero-carbon industrial parks in 2023, setting a precedent for others to follow.
The Ordos park is now home to a diverse array of companies, including battery manufacturers, solar panel producers, hydrogen fuel developers, and electric vehicle enterprises.
“The availability of cheap, emission-free electricity is the park’s biggest draw,” Zhang Yuan, a zero-carbon strategies manager at Envision Group, shared with The Economic Observer in August.
Challenges in Scaling Zero-Carbon Initiatives
Despite the enthusiasm, building zero-carbon parks poses significant challenges for companies and local governments. Achieving carbon neutrality on a smaller scale is complex, notes Liu Jiagen, deputy chief engineer at the Architectural Design and Research Institute of Tsinghua University.
“It’s more challenging for a building than a park, and more challenging for a park than a city,” Liu stated in an interview with China Securities Journal in May.
Liu explained that while cities can invest in dedicated renewable energy plants, and industrial parks have the space to install solar panels and energy-efficient infrastructure, individual buildings face greater hurdles due to limited space and resources.
Moreover, the emissions from manufacturing construction materials contribute significantly to overall carbon footprints. “Whether these embodied emissions should be included in carbon emission calculations is still a matter of debate,” Liu added.
Looking Ahead
In July 2023, China’s Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development released draft technical standards for zero-carbon structures and solicited public feedback. These standards are yet to be finalized, indicating ongoing efforts to solidify guidelines in the burgeoning field of zero-carbon development.
As China continues to refine its approach, the success of zero-carbon industrial parks like the one in Ordos could serve as a blueprint for sustainable industrial growth, contributing to the nation’s green economic future.
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Zero-carbon industrial parks a key to China's green economic future
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