MIIT Launches National Zero-Carbon Factory Initiative, Targeting Computing Infrastructure, Automotive, and PV Sectors

On July 22, 2024, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) issued the "Notice on Organizing and Carrying Out the Construction of National-Level Zero-Carbon Factories," officially launching the initiative to build national-level zero-carbon factories (including zero-carbon computing infrastructure). A zero-carbon factory refers to a facility that continuously reduces its carbon dioxide emissions within defined boundaries—through technological innovation, structural adjustments, and management optimization—until emissions approach zero. The initiative follows a phased, tiered cultivation approach, selecting manufacturing enterprises and computing facilities with solid foundations, clear targets, well-defined pathways, and commitments to achieve their goals within specified timeframes for inclusion in the construction program. Concurrently, an evaluation framework has been released, comprising six categories: emission reduction at source, decarbonization during operations, collaborative emission reduction, intelligent carbon management, carbon offsetting, and information disclosure. The framework establishes three core indicators: carbon emissions per unit of energy consumption, share of non-fossil energy in total energy consumption, and physically verified share of non-fossil electricity consumption. It also clarifies key questions regarding what constitutes a zero-carbon factory, how it should be built, and how effectiveness will be ensured. The notice sets differentiated requirements for basic conditions and target benchmarks to prevent the zero-carbon factory initiative from becoming overly generalized or reduced to mere labeling. Computing infrastructure, due to its rapidly growing energy consumption, is designated as a priority focus area; nationwide data center electricity consumption is projected to reach 170 billion kilowatt-hours by 2025. The low-carbon transition for these facilities centers on improving energy efficiency and increasing the share of non-fossil electricity, which can be achieved through multiple approaches to boost non-fossil energy utilization. Manufacturing enterprises are also a key focus of the initiative, with companies in sectors such as automotive and photovoltaics expected to make early progress. Some automotive manufacturing plants have already achieved green electricity use for production. Photovoltaic companies can advance zero-carbon factory development by enhancing process energy efficiency, increasing non-fossil energy utilization, and exploring traceable green power supply models.