CATL, Dongying city team up to build zero-carbon industrial hub

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On March 15, CATL and the local government of Dongying City in Shandong Province signed a strategic cooperation agreement to collaborate on the development of a zero-carbon industrial park, industrial electrification, technological innovation, and the application of new products and technologies, according to a post on CATL's WeChat account. The partnership aims to establish Dongying as a model city for full-scale carbon neutrality and an industry-leading example of energy transition.

At the signing ceremony, Dongying city's municipal government and CATL formalized their commitment to building a zero-carbon city. Additional agreements were signed between Dongying city's government, Shengli Oilfield Management Bureau Co., Ltd., China University of Petroleum (Beijing), and CATL to develop zero-carbon application scenarios. The government of Kenli District also signed an investment agreement with CATL for a lithium battery smart manufacturing base, while several enterprises signed memoranda of understanding to advance industrial electrification.

Under the agreement, Dongying city and CATL will establish CATL's first high-proportion green electricity direct-supply zero-carbon industrial park in China. The first phase will see the construction of a 40GWh lithium battery smart manufacturing base in Kenli District, featuring a dual high-standard benchmark as both a "zero-carbon factory" and a "lighthouse factory," fostering a fully integrated green industrial cluster. Plans for a second phase will further expand production capacity.

In addition, CATL will collaborate with local enterprises such as Kenli Petrochemical and Huatai Chemical to pioneer zero-carbon chemical industry practices. This initiative aims to enhance energy efficiency and reduce emissions across high-carbon sectors, providing a scalable and replicable "Dongying Model" for China's heavy industry transformation.

CATL will also support Dongying city's transportation sector in the transition to electrification by expanding the city's new energy vehicle charging and battery-swapping network. The company plans to introduce high-quality battery solutions to electrify passenger vehicles, freight trucks, heavy-duty vehicles, buses, and even ships, while promoting battery-swapping infrastructure for ports, mining areas, and other specialized applications.

As home to Shengli Oilfield, Dongying is the prefecture-level city with the most refining capability in China, boasting a strong presence in petrochemicals, petroleum equipment, rubber tire manufacturing, and nonferrous metals. At the same time, the city is actively developing high-end lithium batteries and wind power equipment, leveraging its unique advantages to pioneer zero-carbon urban development.