Xin Guobin, vice minister of industry and Information Technology, said at the 2023 Industrial Green Development Conference held in Guangzhou on June 1 that it is necessary to adhere to the new path of industrialization and promote the high-end, intelligent and green development of the manufacturing industry to break the constraints of resources and environment. We need to promote green industrial development in an all-round way and make green industrial development the focus of new industrialization to create new green driving forces by accelerating transformation in six aspects: high-end industrial structure, low-carbon energy consumption, recycling of resources, and cleaner production processes.

Drive the transformation of production mode by digital transformation

Industry is a major source of energy consumption and carbon emissions. Data show that China’s total energy consumption last year was 5.24 billion tons of standard coal, of which industry accounted for about 65%. How to speed up industrial green development, Xin Guobin put forward six aspects of transformation direction.

Specifically, in terms of industrial structure, Xin Guobin said that the high-end transformation of industrial structure should be accelerated. We will promote the withdrawal of outdated production capacity in accordance with the law and regulations, resolutely curb the blind development of “two high-level” projects, foster and strengthen strategic emerging industries, and improve the distribution of regional industries.

In terms of energy consumption, we will accelerate the transition to low-carbon energy consumption. We will vigorously improve energy efficiency in key industries such as steel, non-ferrous metals, and building materials, as well as in key areas such as data centers, and in a steady and orderly manner promote the shift in industrial energy conservation from individual parts to whole-process systems.

In terms of resource utilization, we should accelerate the transformation of resource utilization into recycling. We will guide the standardized development of the renewable resources industry, promote the large-scale and high-value comprehensive utilization of solid waste in large-scale industries, and promote the cross-coupling and circular development of enterprises, parks, industries, and regions.

In terms of production processes, we will accelerate the transformation of cleaner production processes. We will adhere to the combination of source reduction, process control and efficient treatment at the end, promote green design of industrial products, develop and popularize the application of advanced and applicable technologies, processes and equipment, and promote cleaner production transformation.

Xin Guobin said that the green transformation of product supply should be accelerated. We will develop high-quality photovoltaic, wind power and other new energy industries, actively promote new-energy vehicles and green and smart ships, and increase the supply of green and low-carbon products to help the whole society reach its carbon peak.

At present, the manufacturing industry is entering a new stage of full digitization, which can effectively help achieve the goal of greening. Xin Guobin proposed that digital transformation of manufacturing process should be accelerated. We will use digital transformation to drive the transformation of production modes, promote 5G, big data, artificial intelligence and other next-generation information technologies to improve energy, resources and environmental management, and enable green manufacturing.

It is worth noting that from May 24 to 25, the Department of Industry under the National Development and Reform Commission and the Department of Energy Conservation under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology organized an on-site meeting on energy conservation and carbon reduction in key fields in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province. In terms of focusing on key areas, improving the list plan, promoting classified transformation and upgrading, accelerating the application of advanced technologies, carrying out special actions to save energy and reduce carbon in industry, accelerating the building of a green manufacturing system, and strengthening policy coordination, we put forward the requirements for further implementation of our work.

The capacity to supply green products has been significantly enhanced

Xin Guobin said that with the joint efforts of all parties, China’s industrial green development has achieved positive results. The industrial structure has been improved and upgraded. In 2022, China’s high-tech and equipment manufacturing industries will account for 15.5 percent and 31.8 percent of the designated industries, 6.1 and 3.8 percentage points higher than in 2012, respectively. From 2012 to 2022, energy consumption per unit of added value of industries above designated size dropped by more than 36 percent. Energy efficiency per unit of steel, primary aluminum, cement clinker and other products reached the world’s advanced level. Green and low-carbon industries are booming. The production and sales volume of new-energy vehicles has remained the world’s largest for eight years in a row. In 2022, production and sales increased by 96.9% and 93.4%, respectively, compared with the previous year.

According to the Implementation Plan for Peaking Industrial Carbon issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission, and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment in August 2022, by 2025, energy consumption per unit of value-added of industrial enterprises above the designated scale will be reduced by 13.5% compared with 2020, and carbon dioxide emissions per unit of value-added of industrial enterprises will be reduced more than that of the whole society. The carbon dioxide emission intensity of key industries has decreased significantly. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the industrial structure layout was further optimized, industrial energy consumption intensity and carbon dioxide emission intensity continued to decrease, and efforts were made to achieve peak reduction. On the basis of achieving carbon peak in the industrial sector, the carbon neutral capacity was strengthened, and a modern industrial system featuring high efficiency, green, recycling and low carbon was basically established, so as to ensure that carbon dioxide emissions in the industrial sector would peak before 2030.