MK sports 2024. China has 400 plants powered by 5G wireless technologies in high-end manufacturing as of November, data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology showed. Photo: VCG" src="https://www.globaltimes.cn/Portals/0/attachment/2024/2024-12-16/8dbfe965-fd9f-42e1-8636-f87870b21d77.jpeg" />

An industrial robot processes energy storage batteries at a plant in Nanfeng county in East China's Jiangxi Province on December 16, 2024. China has 400 plants powered by 5G wireless technologies in high-end manufacturing as of November, data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology showed. Photo: VCG

China has unveiled an action plan to boost full-chain development of the new-energy storage manufacturing industry, aiming to expand leading enterprises by 2027, enhance innovation and competitiveness, and achieve high-end, intelligent and green industry growth.

The plan, jointly issued by eight departments including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) on Monday, seeks to foster high-quality development in the new-energy storage manufacturing.

The plan said that the new-energy storage industry is a key source of support for advancing the construction of a manufacturing powerhouse and promoting the efficient development and utilization of new-energy resources.

By 2027, China aims to cultivate three to five leading enterprises in the ecosystem. Meanwhile, the industry will experience a concentration of key players and the establishment of a regional clustering pattern, with industrial clusters and ecosystems continuing to evolve, according to the plan.

Cost reduction is one of the key priorities for China's energy-storage industry, which is essential to achieving targets, Lin Boqiang, director of the China Center for Energy Economics Research at Xiamen University, told the Global Times on Monday. To ensure sustainable costs, they emphasized the need to integrate rapidly evolving new technologies into the sector, he said.

To enhance support for the value chain of relevant manufacturing enterprises and foster a service-oriented manufacturing model, China seeks to drive the extensive adoption of next-generation information technologies, including blockchain, big data, artificial intelligence and 5G, within the new-energy storage manufacturing sector, the plan said.

The plan will also accelerate the construction of smart factories in relevant industries. It will promote the digital transformation of key processes in new-energy storage production and system integration, utilizing technologies like machine vision, ultrasound and infrared thermography for enhanced quality control.

It also outlines measures to strengthen domestic resource security for the development of high-demand metals used in the production of power batteries.

China will intensify support for the domestic exploration of lithium, cobalt, nickel and other mineral resources, and implement a scientific and orderly allocation of mining rights.

Meanwhile, the plan will guide domestic companies in diversifying and coordinating their overseas resource projects to reduce resource development and transportation costs.

China will support the industry's green development by encouraging manufacturers to implement full product lifecycle management, strengthen green design, and improve product recyclability and usability. The plan also emphasized the use of recycled materials, provided product performance requirements are met.

By 2027, China aims to further diversify new-energy storage products and technologies, better meeting the needs of sectors such as power, industry, energy, transportation, construction, communications and agriculture, while providing strong support for the energy revolution and the achievement of carbon peak and neutrality goals, the plan emphasized.

The demand and potential of the energy-storage market are both immense, but this requires integrating technological advancements, which is exactly what the plan aims to achieve, Lin said.

"China has consistently supported the development of critical minerals, and this plan serves as a comprehensive guide for the industry, steering it steadily toward sustainable development," Lin added.

China released 770 energy storage-related policies in 2024, with 77 issued at the national level, the Xinhua News Agency reported. South China's Guangdong Province, East China's Anhui Province, Central China's Henan Province and East China's Jiangsu Province led in terms of policy issuance. 

The policies primarily focus on development plans, new-energy storage integration, electricity market regulation and subsidy programs, the report said.

As of the end of 2024, the total installed capacity of new-energy storage projects in China reached 73.76 million kilowatts, which represented an increase of more than 130 percent compared with the end of 2023, said Bian Guangqi, deputy director of the National Energy Administration, according to another report by Xinhua.