In-depth Analysis: The Challenges of Net-Zero Carbon Park Construction (Part 2)

From“Near-Zero Carbon Emission Zone Demonstration Project”proposal to the present, nearly a year has passed, and it is basically still in the demonstration project stage, and has not developed on a large scale. The reasons are mainly due to multiple factors such as policies, standards, and systems, and there are also difficulties in technology and economic benefits. Now that net-zero carbon parks have been included in the government work report for the first time, the construction of net-zero carbon parks has ushered in a new development opportunity, but the difficulties in the construction of net-zero carbon parks still exist. Today, we will continue the discussion from the previous issue. The article has10characters, and it will take about2726minutes to read.9Content from the previous article:

1. Difficulties in Energy Transformation () Instability of Renewable Energy (1) Technical Bottlenecks in Energy Storage (2) Difficulties in Energy Transmission 2. Difficulties in Technological Innovation (3) Difficulties in R&D of Key Technologies (1) Challenges in Technology Integration (2) High Cost of Technology Application3This issue continues the discussion:3. Difficulties in Insignificant Economic BenefitsConstruction cost is a key factor that cannot be avoided in the construction of net-zero carbon parks. From the initial construction to the mid-term operation and then to the later investment returns, every link faces enormous economic pressure. This pressure, like heavy shackles, restricts the development of net-zero carbon parks.

(

) High Construction Costs1The construction of net-zero carbon parks involves high investments in multiple areas. In terms of equipment procurement, in order to achieve clean energy utilization and effective control of carbon emissions, a large number of advanced equipment needs to be purchased. In infrastructure construction, in order to adapt to the access and distribution of renewable energy, the park needs to upgrade and transform the power grid and construct a smart grid system. This involves laying new transmission lines and installing advanced power monitoring and control equipment, which is costly.

In terms of technological research and development, net-zero carbon parks need to invest a large amount of funds in the research and development and introduction of advanced net-zero carbon technologies. Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (

CCUS) technology, energy-efficient utilization technology, intelligent energy management technology, etc., the research and development and application of these technologies require substantial financial support. According to statistics, some large-scale net-zero carbon parks invest tens of millions or even hundreds of millions of yuan annually in technological research and development.) Continuously Increasing Operating Costs

) High Construction Costs2Equipment maintenance is an important part of operating costs. Wind turbines, solar photovoltaic panels, and other equipment require regular maintenance and upkeep to ensure their normal operation and power generation efficiency. The maintenance costs of these equipment are relatively high. For example, the blades of wind turbines need to be regularly inspected and replaced, and the cost of a single replacement can be as high as hundreds of thousands of yuan; photovoltaic panels also need to be regularly cleaned and maintained to ensure their power generation efficiency.

With the continuous development and updating of technology, net-zero carbon parks also need to continuously invest funds in technological upgrades to improve energy utilization efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. For example, upgrading energy storage technology to improve battery energy density and lifespan; optimizing energy management systems to achieve intelligent allocation and refined management of energy. These technological upgrades require substantial financial support, further increasing operating costs.

) Long Investment Return Period

) High Construction Costs3The investment return period for net-zero carbon parks is relatively long, which is determined by their construction and operation characteristics. On the one hand, as mentioned earlier, the construction and operation costs of net-zero carbon parks are high, requiring substantial upfront investment; on the other hand, the income of net-zero carbon parks mainly comes from energy cost savings, carbon emission reduction benefits, and economic benefits brought by the development of green industries, etc. The realization of these benefits takes a considerable amount of time.

Energy cost savings need to be gradually reflected in the long-term operation process. As the proportion of renewable energy utilization and energy efficiency improve, the park's energy costs will gradually decrease. Carbon emission reduction benefits are affected by fluctuations in carbon market prices. Currently, China's carbon market is still in its development stage, and carbon prices fluctuate greatly, making the income obtained by enterprises through carbon emission reduction unstable. The economic benefits brought by the development of green industries also require a certain amount of time to cultivate and develop. After enterprises enter the park, they need a certain amount of time to achieve stable production and operation before they can bring considerable economic benefits.

The long investment return period seriously affects the enthusiasm of investors. For investors seeking short-term returns, the investment risk of net-zero carbon parks is relatively high, and the attractiveness is insufficient. This makes it difficult for net-zero carbon parks to attract investment, restricting their construction and development speed.

4. Difficulties in Imperfect Policies and Standards

Policies and standards are important guarantees for the construction of net-zero carbon parks. However, at present, there is insufficient policy support and a lack of a standard system, and there is also a lack of coordination between policies and standards. These problems have seriously affected the progress of net-zero carbon park construction.

) Insufficient Policy Support

) High Construction Costs1Although the state and local governments have introduced a series of policies to support the construction of net-zero carbon parks, there are still many shortcomings in the actual implementation process. In terms of financial support, although some regions have established special funds, the scale of funds is limited and cannot meet the construction needs of numerous parks; tax preferential policies are also not perfect; in terms of land policies, some regions lack support for net-zero carbon park construction in land supply and planning, leading to problems such as tight land quotas and difficulties in adjusting land uses during park construction. These insufficient policy supports cause many difficulties during park construction, affecting construction progress and quality.

) Lack of a Standard System

) High Construction Costs2Currently, China lacks unified construction and evaluation standards for net-zero carbon parks, which has brought many problems to the construction and assessment of net-zero carbon parks. Different regions and parks have different understandings and practices of net-zero carbon, resulting in uneven construction levels. Some parks only focus on adjusting the energy structure, ignoring the optimization of the industrial structure and carbon emission management; others place too much emphasis on carbon offsetting while paying insufficient attention to emission reduction measures.

In terms of evaluation standards, due to the lack of a unified indicator system, it is difficult to scientifically and objectively evaluate the construction effectiveness of net-zero carbon parks. Different assessment institutions use different assessment methods and indicators, resulting in a lack of comparability of assessment results. This not only affects the exchange and learning of experience between parks but also is not conducive to the government's supervision and management of net-zero carbon park construction.

在评价标准方面，由于缺乏统一的指标体系，难以对零碳园区的建设成效进行科学、客观的评估。不同的评估机构采用不同的评估方法和指标，导致评估结果缺乏可比性。这不仅影响了园区之间的经验交流和学习，也不利于政府对零碳园区建设的监督和管理。

) High Construction Costs3The problem of synergy between policies and standards

There is a lack of synergy in the formulation and implementation of policies and standards. Policy formulation often focuses on macro-level goals and guidance, while standard setting focuses more on technical and operational regulations. The lack of effective communication and coordination between the two leads to difficulties in policy implementation and effective enforcement of standards.

V. Difficulties in Industrial Synergy

Industrial synergy is an important support for the construction of zero-carbon parks. However, at present, there is a disconnect between upstream and downstream enterprises in the industrial chain within the park, the cooperation mechanism is not perfect, and the supporting industrial facilities are not sound enough. These problems seriously affect the synergistic development of industries in zero-carbon parks.

) High Construction Costs1The disconnect between upstream and downstream enterprises in the industrial chain

In zero-carbon parks, upstream and downstream enterprises in the industrial chain often have inconsistencies in their green development goals and actions. Upstream enterprises may focus more on their own production efficiency and cost control, with relatively less investment in green development; while downstream enterprises, due to market demand pressure, may have higher requirements for the green attributes of products, but find it difficult to influence the production behavior of upstream enterprises.

) High Construction Costs2Imperfect inter-enterprise cooperation mechanisms

The cooperation mechanisms between enterprises in zero-carbon parks have many shortcomings in terms of profit distribution, risk sharing, and information sharing. In terms of profit distribution, due to the lack of a scientific and reasonable distribution mechanism, enterprises may experience uneven profit distribution during cooperation, leading to low enthusiasm for some enterprises to participate in cooperation.

In terms of risk sharing, there is a lack of effective risk-sharing mechanisms between enterprises. The construction of zero-carbon parks involves many new technologies and businesses, and there are certain risks. When risks occur, due to the lack of clear risk-sharing agreements, enterprises often act independently and are unwilling to bear additional risks, making it difficult to promote cooperative projects.

Information sharing is also a major problem facing inter-enterprise cooperation. There is poor communication between enterprises in the park, and there is a lack of an effective information sharing platform, which means that enterprises cannot understand each other's production needs and technological innovations in a timely manner, making it difficult to achieve optimal resource allocation and collaborative innovation.

) High Construction Costs3Imperfect industrial supporting facilities

The shortcomings of supporting industrial facilities in terms of energy supply, logistics and transportation, and environmental protection also restrict the industrial development of zero-carbon parks. In terms of energy supply, although the park is committed to developing renewable energy, due to the imperfect renewable energy supply network, some enterprises find it difficult to access stable renewable energy electricity and still rely on traditional energy, which increases the carbon emissions of enterprises.

There are also problems in the logistics and transportation sector. Some zero-carbon parks have backward logistics and transportation facilities, low transportation efficiency, leading to increased energy consumption and carbon emissions during goods transportation. At the same time, the lack of a green logistics and transportation system, such as new energy transport vehicles and intelligent logistics management systems, also restricts the low-carbon development of the park.

The imperfection of environmental protection facilities is also a prominent problem. Some parks' sewage treatment, solid waste treatment and other environmental protection facilities cannot meet the needs of enterprises, resulting in the inability to effectively treat the pollutant emissions of enterprises, affecting the environmental quality of the park, and contradicting the construction goals of zero-carbon parks.