Why is a zero-carbon park a 'hot spot'?

I. Introduction: What is a 'hot spot'?

In the tide of economic development, the term "hot spot" frequently appears in people's field of vision. From an economic perspective, a "hot spot" refers to an industry or field that achieves explosive growth in the short term, driven by technological innovation, policy support, or market demand. Such industries or fields often have high growth potential, attracting a large influx of capital and resources, and possessing extremely high investment value.

Looking back at history, the rise and development of many hot spot industries have profoundly changed the economic landscape and people's lifestyles. In the field of renewable energy, photovoltaic and wind power have achieved large-scale application. China's photovoltaic industry is far ahead of the world, occupying a significant share of the global market with its complete industrial chain, advanced technology, and strong manufacturing capabilities. From silicon material production to photovoltaic component manufacturing, and to the construction and operation of photovoltaic power plants, China has built a mature and efficient industrial system that not only meets the needs of domestic energy transformation but also exports a large amount to the world, driving the development of the global solar energy industry.

In the automotive industry, the electric vehicle revolution led by Tesla has completely changed the situation where traditional fuel vehicles dominated. Through technological innovation, it has improved the cruising range, performance, and intelligence level of electric vehicles, enabling electric vehicles to move from the periphery to the mainstream. At the same time, Chinese brands such as BYD and NIO have rapidly risen. BYD, with its deep accumulation in battery technology and its control over the entire industrial chain of new energy vehicles, has become a world-renowned new energy vehicle manufacturer; NIO, through its unique service model and high-end positioning, has secured a place in the fiercely competitive new energy vehicle market.

As an emerging field, low-altitude economy is steadily advancing in policy pilot programs and commercial exploration of drone logistics and air transportation. Some cities have already launched drone delivery services, applying them in areas such as express delivery and takeout, improving delivery efficiency, and reducing logistics costs; in terms of air transportation, the research and development of electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL) has made significant progress, and in the future, it is expected to provide people with a new mode of transportation during urban traffic congestion.

These cases show that the emergence of hot spot industries is not accidental; they are often closely related to national strategies and technological breakthroughs. National policy guidance provides a good policy environment and resource support for industry development, while technological breakthroughs provide the internal driving force for industry development. The two promote each other, jointly driving the rise and development of hot spot industries.

II. Why has the zero-carbon park become a new hot spot?

(1) Strong driving force from national policies

1. Top-level design

In 2024, the Central Economic Work Conference proposed for the first time the "establishment of a batch of zero-carbon parks" and listed it as a key task for 2025. This decision shows that the construction of zero-carbon parks has risen to the national strategic level, becoming an important measure to promote the green transformation of the economy. The Government Work Report clearly stated the "dual carbon" goals, namely striving to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and striving to achieve carbon neutrality before 2060, and zero-carbon parks are considered an important path to achieving this goal. This points out the direction for the construction of zero-carbon parks and provides strong policy support.

2. Actions of ministries and commissions

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology actively promotes the construction of zero-carbon factories and parks, and many places have included zero-carbon parks in carbon peak pilot programs. Through pilot work, effective models and paths for the construction of zero-carbon parks are explored, providing experience and lessons for nationwide promotion. The National Development and Reform Commission will issue the "Zero-Carbon Park Construction Plan," which will clarify the core paths of energy transformation and digital management in the future. In terms of energy transformation, it encourages parks to increase the proportion of renewable energy use and build a clean and low-carbon energy system; in terms of digital management, it uses big data and the Internet of Things to achieve real-time monitoring and precise management of carbon emissions in parks.

(2) Active response and demonstration practices at the local level

1. Benchmark cases

Ordos, Inner Mongolia, has built the world's first zero-carbon industrial park, constructing a "wind-solar-hydrogen-storage" technology closed loop. 80% of the park's energy is directly supplied by local wind and photovoltaic power generation, and 20% is traded with the power grid, achieving 100% green zero-carbon energy supply. Through an intelligent Internet of Things source-load interactive control system, the park can dynamically manage overall power demand based on solar energy, wind energy generation, energy storage charging and discharging, and power grid electricity usage. In addition, the industrial park takes the battery industry as its core, attracting upstream and downstream enterprises to set up bases in the park, jointly promoting the development of industrial clusters. It has been selected for the World Economic Forum's Industrial Cluster Transformation Report for three consecutive years, becoming a model for zero-carbon park construction worldwide.

Wuxi, Jiangsu, Anhui, and other places have introduced local standards to promote the "zero-carbon factory + smart energy" model. These standards put forward clear requirements for the construction, operation, and management of zero-carbon factories, standardizing industry development. At the same time, through the smart energy system, real-time monitoring and optimization of factory energy consumption are achieved, improving energy utilization efficiency and reducing carbon emissions.

2. Regional layout

Yunnan, Qinghai, and other places rely on abundant renewable energy resources to build zero-carbon industrial clusters. Yunnan has abundant solar and hydropower resources, while Qinghai has unique advantages in wind and solar energy. These regions, by developing zero-carbon industries, transform resource advantages into economic advantages, promoting the sustainable development of regional economies. Zhejiang and Guangdong, as economically developed regions, are actively exploring export-oriented parks to address international carbon tariff barriers. By building zero-carbon parks, they reduce corporate carbon emissions, improve the green competitiveness of products, and ensure their share in the international market.

(3) Strategic significance and economic value

1. "Must-answer question" for economic transformation

As an important carrier of economic development, industrial parks account for more than 40% of the country's carbon emissions. The traditional high-energy-consumption model not only puts enormous pressure on the environment but also is unsustainable due to increasingly scarce resources and rising environmental costs. Zero-carbonization is the key to industrial upgrading. By introducing advanced energy-saving and emission-reduction technologies and green production methods, optimizing the industrial structure, and improving resource utilization efficiency, sustainable industrial development can be achieved.

2. "New track" for international competition

Against the backdrop of global green trade, products such as "green steel" and "zero-carbon aluminum" can break through green trade barriers and enhance the global competitiveness of enterprises. Some developed countries have begun to implement strict carbon tariff policies, putting forward higher requirements for the carbon emissions of imported products. Products from zero-carbon parks have lower carbon emissions and can better meet the needs of the international market, helping enterprises gain a dominant position in international competition.

3. "Necessary path" for energy revolution

Zero-carbon parks promote on-site consumption of green electricity, resolving the mismatch in renewable energy consumption. In China, the geographical distribution of renewable energy resources and energy demand is unbalanced, leading to ineffective consumption of renewable energy in some areas. Zero-carbon parks improve the utilization rate of local renewable energy and reduce reliance on traditional energy sources by constructing distributed energy systems, promoting energy structure optimization.

 

III. Future Trends of Zero-Carbon Parks

(1) Technology-driven: Clean Energy and Digital Empowerment

In the future, the proportion of renewable energy in zero-carbon parks will further increase, with photovoltaic coverage expected to exceed 80%. With the continuous advancement of photovoltaic technology, the cost of photovoltaic power generation continues to decrease, and efficiency continues to improve, making it one of the main energy sources for zero-carbon parks. At the same time, smart energy carbon platforms and Internet of Things technology will be widely used to achieve real-time monitoring and optimization of carbon emissions. Through big data analysis, the energy consumption and carbon emissions in the park can be accurately grasped, providing decision-making basis for energy management and energy saving and emission reduction. For example, the Beijing Ludian Experimental Park uses a hybrid AC/DC network architecture to achieve a green electricity consumption rate of 85% and a 65% reduction in carbon emissions.

(2) Industrial Clustering and Regional Synergy

Zero-carbon parks will form a closed loop of "new energy + high-end manufacturing," such as the power battery and hydrogen energy industry chains. Taking power batteries as an example, a complete industrial chain will be formed, from upstream lithium mining and battery material production to midstream battery manufacturing and downstream electric vehicle applications. This industrial cluster development model can reduce production costs and improve industrial competitiveness. Resource-rich areas in the west can use zero-carbon parks to achieve "catching up," driving rapid regional economic development by developing new energy industries and related manufacturing industries.

(3) Globalization and Standard Output

China has accumulated rich experience in the construction of zero-carbon parks, providing a model for developing countries. In the "Belt and Road" cooperation, the construction experience and technology of zero-carbon parks will be exported to countries along the route to help them achieve green development. At the same time, actively aligning with the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), promoting international carbon accounting mutual recognition, improving China's voice in the global carbon market, and promoting the collaborative implementation of global carbon reduction actions.

IV. How Can Ordinary Enterprises Participate in the Construction of Zero-Carbon Parks?

(1) Opportunities for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

1. Technological Cooperation

Small and medium-sized enterprises can leverage their technological advantages to provide solutions in niche areas such as energy-saving equipment and carbon management software. For example, some companies focus on researching and developing high-efficiency energy-saving lamps and smart meters to support the park's energy saving and emission reduction; other companies develop carbon management software to help the park achieve accurate calculation and management of carbon emissions.

2. Integration into the Supply Chain

Join the park's green supply chain and meet the requirements for "zero-carbon product" certification. As the demand for green products in zero-carbon parks continues to increase, small and medium-sized enterprises can improve their production processes, reduce the carbon emissions of their products, obtain "zero-carbon product" certification, and thus enter the park's supply chain system and expand their market space.

(2) Transformation Paths for Traditional Enterprises

1. Energy Substitution

Reduce energy costs by using direct green electricity supply and distributed photovoltaics. Direct green electricity supply allows enterprises to directly use clean energy, reducing their reliance on traditional thermal power; distributed photovoltaics can utilize the roofs and other spaces of enterprises to achieve self-generation and self-consumption, and surplus electricity can be fed into the grid, reducing electricity costs while reducing carbon emissions.

2. Process Upgrades

Reduce emissions by using short-process production and carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technology. Short-process production can simplify production processes, reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions; carbon capture technology can capture and store or utilize carbon dioxide generated during production, achieving carbon dioxide emission reduction.

(3) Policy and Financial Support

The government has introduced a series of tax incentives and special subsidies, such as Anhui's maximum subsidy of 1 million yuan for zero-carbon factories, encouraging enterprises to participate in the construction of zero-carbon parks. At the same time, carbon financial instruments are constantly being enriched, and carbon quota trading and green bonds have broadened financing channels for enterprises. Enterprises can participate in carbon quota trading to sell surplus carbon quotas for profit; green bonds provide low-cost financial support for enterprises' green projects.

V. Conclusion: The Logic of the Times Behind the Boom

The rise of zero-carbon parks is not only an environmental issue to address climate change and environmental problems, but also a strategic choice to reshape the industrial system and seize the commanding heights of the global industrial chain. Under the global trend of green and low-carbon development, zero-carbon parks provide a new growth engine for economic development. Enterprises should keenly grasp policy dividends and technological windows, shifting from "passive emission reduction" to "active green creation," and actively participating in the construction of zero-carbon parks. Through technological innovation, management optimization, and industrial upgrading, achieving their own sustainable development, they can stand at the peak of the new economic wave and create brilliance on the stage of the zero-carbon economy.