[SMM Hydrogen Energy Policy Update] Three Ministries Launch Zero-Carbon Park Construction

On July 8, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and National Energy Administration jointly issued the Notice on Promoting Zero-Carbon Park Construction.

The document states the need to accelerate energy consumption structure transformation in industrial parks. It emphasizes strengthening the development and utilization of renewable energy sources within and around parks, supporting resource matching between parks and surrounding non-fossil power generation assets, scientifically deploying energy storage and other flexible resources, and developing green power direct supply models such as green electricity grid interconnection and local integration of new energy sources into incremental distribution networks based on local conditions. It encourages participation in green electricity certificate and green electricity trading, and explores hydrogen-electricity coupling development and utilization models. The document also urges parks to actively utilize thermal energy resources including biomass, nuclear energy, solar thermal, geothermal, and industrial waste heat to achieve clean and low-carbon heating systems. It advocates exploring hydrogen energy and biomass as alternatives to fossil fuels and raw materials.

The notice requires infrastructure upgrades in parks, including optimized planning and design of power, heating, gas, hydrogen, water supply/drainage, and pollution control systems. New buildings must adhere to ultra-low and near-zero energy consumption standards. Green transportation infrastructure in parks should be improved with accelerated low-carbon and zero-carbon replacement of transport vehicles.

Full text follows:

Notice from the National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and National Energy Administration on Promoting Zero-Carbon Park Construction

NDRC Huan Zi [2025] No. 910

To all provincial, autonomous regional, and municipal development and reform commissions, industry and information technology authorities, and energy administrations:

In implementation of the decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, and to actively and steadily advance carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals, accelerate comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development, support qualified regions in pioneering zero-carbon park construction, gradually improve relevant planning, technical equipment, business models, and management standards, systematically promote low-carbon and zero-carbon transformation of various industrial parks, assist parks and enterprises in reducing emissions and enhancing efficiency, and provide solid support for achieving carbon peak and carbon neutrality targets, we hereby notify the following matters regarding zero-carbon park construction:

I. Key Tasks

(1) Accelerate energy consumption structure transformation in industrial parks. Strengthen the development and utilization of renewable energy sources within and around parks, support resource matching between parks and surrounding non-fossil power generation assets, scientifically deploy energy storage and other flexible resources, develop green power direct supply models such as green electricity grid interconnection and local integration of new energy sources into incremental distribution networks based on local conditions, encourage participation in green electricity certificate and green electricity trading, and explore hydrogen-electricity coupling development and utilization models. Actively utilize thermal energy resources including biomass, nuclear energy, solar thermal, geothermal, and industrial waste heat to achieve clean and low-carbon heating systems. Explore alternative fossil fuels and raw materials such as hydrogen energy and biomass.

(II) Vigorously promote energy conservation and carbon reduction in parks. Encourage parks to establish energy use and carbon emission management systems, conduct in-depth energy efficiency and carbon efficiency diagnosis and assessment for enterprises, strengthen energy conservation supervision and daily oversight of key energy-consuming equipment, and phase out outdated production capacity, processes, and product equipment. Support enterprises in benchmarking against top-tier and advanced levels, implementing energy conservation and carbon reduction transformations, and updating energy-consuming equipment. Encourage enterprises to build ultra-efficient energy factories and zero-carbon factories.

(III) Adjust and optimize the industrial structure of parks. Encourage parks to accelerate the optimization and adjustment of their own industrial structures, develop emerging industries with low energy consumption, low pollution, and high added value, and explore the "green-to-green" model of manufacturing green products with green energy. Support the orderly transfer and concentration of high energy-consuming industries to parks with sustainable resources, guaranteed energy supply, and environmental capacity, and explore paths for deep carbon reduction.

(IV) Strengthen resource conservation and intensive use in parks. Plan the spatial layout of parks and enterprises in a coordinated manner, improve the intensive utilization level of land resources, and promote the cascading utilization of energy and the recycling of water resources. Improve the recycling network for waste in parks, and promote the resourceful utilization of industrial solid waste, residual pressure, heat, and cold, as well as waste gas, liquid, and slag.

(V) Improve and upgrade park infrastructure. Optimize the planning and design of park infrastructure, systematically promote the construction and transformation of infrastructure such as electricity, heating, gas, hydrogen energy, water supply and drainage, and pollution control. Encourage the design and construction of new buildings in accordance with ultra-low energy consumption and near-zero energy consumption building standards. Improve the green transportation infrastructure in parks and accelerate the low-carbon and zero-carbon substitution of transportation tools.

(VI) Strengthen the application of advanced and applicable technologies. Support parks in conducting in-depth cooperation with enterprises, universities, and research institutions, strengthening the transformation and application of scientific and technological achievements, exploring mechanisms for the deep integration of green and low-carbon technology research and development with industrial development, creating demonstration application scenarios around advanced and applicable technologies for low-carbon, zero-carbon, and negative-carbon, and forming technically viable solutions with commercial value.

(VII) Enhance the energy and carbon management capabilities of parks. Support parks in building energy and carbon management platforms that cover major energy-consuming enterprises, strengthening the monitoring, forecasting, and allocation capabilities of energy use loads in parks and enterprises, and providing support for carbon emission accounting, source-grid matching adjustment, power demand-side management, multi-energy coordination and complementarity, and efficient resource recycling.

(VIII) Support parks in strengthening reform and innovation. Support local governments, park enterprises, power generation enterprises, power grid enterprises, comprehensive energy service providers, and other entities in participating in the construction of zero-carbon parks, and explore paths and models for achieving a high proportion of renewable energy supply and consumption. Encourage qualified parks to participate in the electricity market in forms such as virtual power plants (load aggregators) to improve the efficiency of resource allocation and the stability of the power system.

II. Safeguard Measures

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) will coordinate the use of existing funding channels to support the construction of zero-carbon parks. It will encourage regions to provide financial support for the construction of zero-carbon parks and support eligible projects through funds from local government special bonds {{referring specifically to China}}. Policy banks are encouraged to provide medium and long-term credit support for eligible projects. Support will be given to qualified enterprises to issue bonds for the construction of zero-carbon parks. Support will be provided for parks to introduce external talents, technologies, and professional institutions to serve enterprises in energy-saving and carbon-reduction transformations, carbon emission accounting and management, and product carbon footprint certification. Explore the implementation of a "one-window" approval system for multi-energy complementary and multi-energy supply projects in zero-carbon parks. Strengthen the guarantee of energy use elements, innovate the energy-saving review and carbon emission assessment models within the scope of zero-carbon parks, and explore the implementation of regional approvals or project filings. Strengthen the guarantee of land and sea use elements for newly constructed parks, new energy power supplies, and power supply facilities.

III. Organization and Implementation

(1) Strengthen overall coordination. The NDRC will coordinate the promotion of zero-carbon park construction, continuously deepen reforms and innovations in related fields, and actively support zero-carbon park construction in terms of pilot exploration, project construction, and funding arrangements. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will guide regions in promoting low-carbon transformations of industrial parks and driving the construction of zero-carbon parks in qualified industrial parks. The National Energy Administration will guide regions in strengthening the construction and reform innovation of green energy supply systems in zero-carbon parks and promoting the transformation of energy supply and consumption models in parks. Development and reform commissions in various regions should work together with their local industry and information technology departments and energy authorities to implement the work based on actual conditions.

(2) Organize park applications. Based on comprehensive consideration of factors such as energy endowment, industrial foundation, reliable power supply, and carbon reduction potential, development and reform commissions in various regions should work together with their local industry and information technology departments and energy authorities to recommend qualified and willing parks for the construction of national-level zero-carbon parks (see Annex 1 for basic conditions) and guide parks in comprehensively analyzing project feasibility, estimating economic, environmental, and social benefits, and preparing application documents as required (see Annex 2 for the outline). Each region should recommend no more than two parks and submit the list of recommended parks and construction plans to the NDRC (Department of Environmental and Resource Conservation) by August 22.

(3) Carry out construction in a solid manner. The NDRC, together with relevant parties, will review the construction plans of parks recommended by local governments, comprehensively consider factors such as industrial representativeness, comprehensive demonstration, and carbon reduction potential, and determine the list of the first batch of national-level zero-carbon parks for construction. For parks included in the construction list, the development and reform commissions in various regions should strengthen work guidance and coordinate to resolve difficulties and issues. Each region may carry out the construction of provincial zero-carbon parks based on actual conditions.

(4) Strengthen evaluation and summarization. After the construction period of national zero-carbon parks expires, provincial development and reform commissions should organize self-evaluations. For those that meet the requirements in the self-evaluation, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) will organize relevant departments and units to conduct evaluation and acceptance (see Annex 3 for the indicator system). Parks that pass the evaluation and acceptance will officially become national zero-carbon parks. The development and reform commissions in various regions should work with relevant parties to promptly grasp the progress of zero-carbon park construction in their respective regions, sort out and summarize experiences, and explore useful experiences for the low-carbon transformation of relevant industries, regions, and other parks.

Annexes:

1. Basic Conditions for Zero-Carbon Park Construction.pdf

2. Outline of the Application Form for National Zero-Carbon Parks.pdf

3. Construction Indicator System for National Zero-Carbon Parks (Trial).pdf

4. Carbon Emission Accounting Method for Zero-Carbon Parks (Trial).pdf

National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC)

Ministry of Industry and Information Technology

National Energy Administration

June 30, 2025