Recently, the National Development and Reform Commission issued the "National Carbon Peak Pilot Construction Plan," which proposes selecting 100 cities and parks with typical representation nationwide to carry out carbon peak pilot construction. The plan focuses on addressing the bottlenecks and constraints faced in the development of green and low-carbon initiatives, stimulating local initiative and creativity. By advancing pilot tasks, implementing key projects, and innovating policy mechanisms, the plan aims to accelerate the green transformation of development modes. It also seeks to explore carbon peak paths for cities and parks with different resource endowments and development foundations, providing operational, replicable, and scalable experiences and practices nationwide to support the achievement of carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals. As key regions leading in reform, openness, and economic contribution, national-level economic and technological development zones have taken the lead in action. They have emerged with numerous innovative measures and successful cases that are distinctive, significant in results, and highly promotable.

This case collection includes 27 green low-carbon development cases from national-level economic and technological development zones and international cooperation ecological parks. It is hoped that these cases can provide inspiration and references for more industrial parks.

In comparison with the previous year, this year's "Case Collection" sees the development stories of parks gradually transitioning from "light green" to "deep green," promoting green sustainable development comprehensively and from various perspectives.

Industrial Optimization and Upgrading Gradually Show a Cluster Effect

l  Taiyuan Economic and Technological Development Zone

Relying on Foxconn Group, it has developed a hundred-billion-level industrial cluster for precision electronic manufacturing; With Jolywood as the “chain owner”, and relying on Jolywood’s annual output of 32GW high-efficiency single crystal battery project, it has developed supporting downstream applications such as the 10GW energy storage and the 10GW distributed power station, and created a hundred-billion-level PV industrial chain of “silicon - slice - cell - battery module - application scenario”.

l  Rugao Economic and Technological Development Zone

It actively develops a “hydrogen town”, and strives to create an innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem integrating R&D, production, inspection, application and promotion. In July 2018, it was successfully listed in the second batch of featured towns in Jiangsu Province. In the same year, the Management Committee of the Industrial Park of Hydrogen Energy was established to plan the construction of the “Industrial Park of Hydrogen Energy”, give full play to the overall promotion role of the park, actively integrate the resources of policy, technology, capital and industrial chain, and accelerate the development of the hydrogen energy industry. The park covers a total land area of 1,000 mu, with Phase I of 200 mu already completed.

l  Jilin Economic and Technological Development Zone

Jilin Economic and Technological Development Zone, as the main carrier for the development of the carbon fiber industry in Jilin City, has made significant efforts over the years, establishing a solid foundation for industrial development and gaining competitive advantages. By the end of 2022, the region has achieved a production capacity of 160,000 tons of precursor fibers, 49,000 tons of carbon fibers, and 15,000 tons of composite materials. This comprehensive industrial chain development has led to the overall domestic substitution of carbon fibers, breaking international monopolies. Key products such as aerospace materials, carbon fiber extruded sheets, carbon fiber felts, carbon fiber fabrics, and carbon/carbon composite material preforms have already reached a significant scale of production capacity. The zone is actively promoting the expanded application of carbon fiber composite materials in green industries such as wind power, photovoltaics, lithium batteries, hydrogen energy, and lightweight automobiles.

l  Jinhua Economic and Technological Development Zone

Jinhua Economic and Technological Development Zone in Zhejiang Province focuses on attracting industries such as new energy vehicles (NEVs), key components, intelligent manufacturing equipment, optoelectronics, and new materials. Presently, the Jinhua New Energy Vehicle Town has successfully passed the naming acceptance, earning honors such as the "Outstanding Annual Assessment of Zhejiang Provincial Characteristic Towns" for the year 2020. It has also been selected as a pilot unit for the "Chain Leader System" in the industrial chain of the provincial development zones.

Renewable Energy such as Green Electricity Has Gradually Become the "New Infrastructure" for the Construction of Business Environment in the Park

l  Nanchang Economic and Technological Development Zone

The Nanchang Economic and Technological Development Zone has completed the construction of demonstration bases such as the Technology Coordination and Innovation Park and the Xinyuanda Industrial Park, promoting the concept of "self-construction" in the field of new energy storage, fostering a "Photovoltaic + Energy Storage" model to deepen and expand the enterprises' involvement in the "Zero Carbon Enterprise Park." The implementation of these projects aims to meet the green demands of the upstream and downstream companies in the new energy vehicle and power battery industries, achieving full local absorption of green electricity.

l  Chengdu Economic and Technological Development Zone

In 2022, within the Chengdu Economic and Technological Development Zone, the number of enterprises utilizing green electricity reached 16, accounting for 64% of the total. Among them, 9 enterprises exclusively rely on green electricity. Zhongjia Volvo, an automotive company, has progressively introduced pure electric new energy models to replace traditional fuel models, achieving a 100% transition to pure electrification for their products.

l Shenyang Economic and Technological Development Zone

Since the initiation of the green electricity trading pilot program in September 2021, the Shenyang Economic and Technological Development Zone has actively encouraged enterprises in the automotive industry chain and supply chain, led by BMW Brilliance, to engage in green electricity trading, achieving significant results. Within the zone, BMW Brilliance has participated in the national green electricity trading pilot program, completing transactions for 2.78 billion kilowatt-hours of green electricity, ranking first nationwide.

l  Ya’an Economic and Technological Development Zone

As one of the key areas designated for the development of the big data industry in Sichuan Province, the Ya’an Economic and Technological Development Zone is constructing a hydropower absorption industry demonstration zone. By converting excess hydropower pressure into an electricity advantage to drive the development of the big data industry, it aims to attract relevant enterprises for concentrated development. In recognition of its efforts, the zone has been awarded the highest level of "Platinum" certification in the assessment of green data centers, as part of the first batch in 2021.

Collaborative Efficiency Enhancement Leading Green Circular Development in the Park through Pollution Reduction and Carbon Emission Reduction

l  Hangzhou Bay Shangyu Economic and Technological Development Zone

Hangzhou Bay Shangyu Economic and Technological Development Zone, as one of the first pilot areas for "Pollution Reduction, Carbon Emission Reduction, Collaborative Efficiency Enhancement" in Zhejiang Province, has innovated its pollution reduction and carbon management system. By developing a digital twin computing model and integrating departmental data, it has established a foundational database for carbon and pollution emissions. The zone has pioneered a collaborative efficiency index for pollution reduction and carbon emission reduction at both the park and enterprise levels. This index compels companies to undergo technological upgrades or, if necessary, shut down and phase out those identified as "high consumption and low efficiency." Through strengthening the industrial chain, the zone has established a resource recycling and ecological utilization system. It has also created a platform for sharing resource information, established an enterprise database, and automatically simulated matching relationships for the point-to-point utilization of hazardous waste. Currently, the zone has identified 40 types of products (raw materials) among enterprises, established 221 collaborative relationships, initially designated 9 companies and 7 major categories of hazardous waste for point-to-point utilization, totaling 168,000 tons of recyclable resources. It has successfully matched 4 companies, with 12,800 tons of hazardous waste being utilized point-to-point, resulting in a cost savings of 25.54 million yuan.

l  Deyang National Economic and Technological Development Zone

Deyang National Economic and Technological Development Zone vigorously promotes the green and low-carbon circular development of the park, and explores the circular economy development mode featuring the coupled co-existence of “small circulation, medium circulation, and large circulation”, the simultaneous co-construction of “industrial chain, product chain, and waste chain”, and the joint governance of “strict access, source control, and end treatment”, which promotes industrial optimization and green upgrading. Develop a circular industrial chain: Five waste recycling economic chains have initially formed in the park, including “sewage - sewage treatment - sludge (waste) - waste incineration for power generation”, “sewage - sewage treatment plant - reuse of reclaimed water”, “construction slag (phosphogypsum) - sand and stones - new building materials”, “scrap - smelting ingot - mechanical processing - new equipment”, and “straw, agricultural waste - mushroom production line - food”.

Lifecycle Carbon Footprint Management Driving Green Supply Chain Construction 

l  Mingshui Economic and Technological Development Zone

Anlifang (Shandong) Co., Ltd. in Mingshui Economic and Technological Development Zone carries out the carbon footprint tracking of the whole life cycle of products from raw materials to production and then to consumption. Jinan Shengquan Group established the Carbon Footprint Management Department to realize the independence of carbon emission data accounting and carbon management, and actively carried out carbon trading practice, and realized the strict control of "carbon" from the source.

l  Nanjing Economic and Technological Development Zone

Tianplus Environmental Technology Co., LTD., the Paulson Institute and Southeast University Yangtze River Delta Carbon neutral Strategic Development Research Institute in Nanjing Economic and Technological Development Zone carried out the first "carbon footprint production, study and research" project on the air conditioning industry, and developed a "lower life cycle cost" system solution and has been successfully applied in more than 80 key subway lines across the country.

l  Tianjin Economic and Technological Development Zone

Tianjin Economic and Technological Development Zone launched the "GPIPC Carbon Inclusive Mini Program" to encourage residents to measure their personal carbon footprint, explore the establishment of a carbon inclusive model for everyone to participate in and benefit from, gather green low-carbon product manufacturers and green technology enterprises, continuously improve the use value of carbon credits, continue to stimulate consumption vitality, and achieve social and economic benefits.