Lithium batteries have the characteristics of high charging and discharging efficiency and stability. In addition to being widely used in new energy vehicles, they are also regarded globally as highly reliable energy storage products. Since the beginning of this year, there has been a shortage of international energy, an increase in electricity prices, and a significant increase in market demand for energy storage products. China’s lithium battery exports have experienced explosive growth.
The export amount of lithium batteries in the first half of the year increased by over 50% year-on-year
The latest data released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology recently shows that in the first half of 2023, China’s lithium battery industry continued to grow, with production exceeding 400 gigawatts per hour, a year-on-year increase of over 43%. While production has increased, exports have also performed well.
The reporter learned from Fuzhou Customs that in the first half of this year, the export performance of Fujian Province’s “new three types” of electric passenger vehicles, lithium batteries, and solar cells was strong, with lithium battery exports being the most eye-catching, with a year-on-year growth of 110.7%. The export of lithium batteries in Fujian Province covers 112 countries and regions worldwide, achieving double-digit growth in regions such as the European Union and ASEAN.
In Ningde, Fujian, the export of lithium batteries in the first half of the year reached 33.43 billion yuan, accounting for 58.6% of the total export value of similar products in Fujian Province during the same period. Ningde Times, the world’s largest lithium battery manufacturer, stated that their overseas market revenue increased nearly twice year-on-year in the first half of this year.
Wu Kai, Chief Scientist of Ningde Times: We are able to penetrate the supply chain system of well-known overseas car brands and apply it to almost all mainstream global car companies, mainly relying on technological performance advantages.
Since the beginning of this year, lithium battery exports in multiple parts of the country have experienced rapid growth. Data shows that in the first half of this year, the export of lithium batteries in Guangdong Province’s “new three samples” increased by 27.7%. Guangdong seizes the window period, continuously strengthens the docking of international economic and trade rules, continuously expands the scope of foreign trade support policies, and helps enterprises make full use of institutional dividends.
Chen Xinyi, Deputy Director of the Comprehensive Business Department of Guangzhou Customs: AEO enterprises certified and recognized by customs can enjoy lower document review rates in mutually recognized countries and regions, solve customs clearance difficulties, and thus reduce trade costs. We have successfully cultivated 40 enterprises in multiple cities such as Guangzhou and Foshan into AEO (certified operator) enterprises.
Not only in Fujian and Guangdong, but also in Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang, the export volume of lithium batteries has grown rapidly, becoming a new engine driving the growth of foreign trade in the Yangtze River Delta.
Luo Junjie, Executive Vice President of the China Machinery Industry Federation, said that in the first half of this year, among the “new three types” driving the growth of national foreign trade, the export value of lithium batteries increased by 58.1% year-on-year.
Yibin, Sichuan: Green Transformation to Build the “Power Battery City”
China’s lithium battery industry chain is well-established and has a first mover advantage. The reporter learned during an interview in Yibin, Sichuan recently that this traditional resource-based city, which used to be dominated by coal and Baijiu, is taking the advantage of industrial clusters to accelerate the building of a city of lithium-ion power batteries.
Recently, the World Power Battery Conference was held in Yibin, Sichuan, with relevant leaders from multiple multinational companies gathering in Yibin. They are optimistic about the investment environment and complete industrial chain here.
Matsushita Holdings Global Vice President Jiro Honda: Yibin has various raw material manufacturers for batteries. Can we join our global supply chain? We will definitely consider this.
What is the bottom line for the development of lithium-ion power battery industry in Yibin? According to data, the production of power batteries in Yibin in 2022 was 72 gigawatts per hour, accounting for 15.5% of the national total. Yibin has developed over 100 industrial chain projects with Ningde Era as the industry “chain leader”. Nowadays, more than 15 out of every 100 power batteries in the country come from Yibin. Yibin is fully transitioning towards a green and low-carbon industry centered on lithium-ion power batteries.
Yibin Kaiyi Automobile General Manager Gao Lei: We plan to stop producing and selling pure fuel vehicles in China from 2025 onwards. We are all new energy vehicles.
At the application end of power batteries, the reporter learned that intelligent rail transit, heavy truck battery swapping, and other technologies have been fully applied in Yibin. Developing the energy storage industry will be a new direction for their future industrial layout.
Yang Luhan, Deputy Director of the Economic Cooperation and Emerging Industries Bureau of Yibin City: The core of the energy storage industry is also energy storage batteries, which are parallel to power batteries, and over 80% of them can be developed in a coordinated manner. Next, we will focus on introducing new research and development platforms, strengthening and supplementing the chain, and increasing application demonstrations.
Fang Cunhao, Secretary of the Yibin Municipal Party Committee: In the past two years, we have signed 80 new projects around leading enterprises, with an investment of over 100 billion yuan in completed projects. A world-class power battery industry cluster is accelerating its formation.
Suining, Sichuan: Focusing on Building a Lithium Battery New Material Industry Chain
Lithium, nickel, cobalt and other raw materials are key elements in the production of lithium batteries. In Suining, Sichuan, the local government is closely following the new opportunities for the development of the lithium battery industry market and focusing on building a complete new material industry chain for lithium batteries.
In the past two days, a waste lithium battery recycling production line has entered the equipment debugging stage in the Lithium Battery High tech Industrial Park of Suining Shehong Economic and Technological Development Zone. It will be put into operation in September this year, which is a key part of lithium battery material recycling and reuse.
Li Yi, Director of the Management Committee of Sichuan Shehong Economic and Technological Development Zone: We adhere to strengthening upstream resource protection, accelerating breakthroughs in cutting-edge material innovation, and promoting the coordinated development of the lithium battery industry supply chain, industrial chain, and value chain.
Data shows that in the first half of this year, Suining’s lithium battery industry achieved a year-on-year increase of 54.0% in added value, which is inseparable from the support of innovative technologies. The innovative technology of this new material company’s “Black Technology Energy Ball” can improve the fast charging performance of lithium iron phosphate batteries.
Yang Zhikuan, General Manager of Sichuan Liyuan New Materials Co., Ltd.: We have improved the discharge capacity retention rate of lithium-ion batteries under cold conditions by establishing a high-speed lithium-ion transport channel inside the positive electrode material.
The incubation of innovative technologies also comes from the exchange and cooperation platform of self production, academia, and research. The Suining Research Institute of Lithium Battery and New Materials at Chongqing University has conducted multiple technological developments aimed at improving the safety of lithium-ion batteries. It is understood that by 2025, Suining aims to exceed 150 billion yuan in the industrial scale of lithium batteries.
Jiang Ping, Director of the Suining Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology: We strive to become the “wind vane” leading the development of the industry in more segmented fields, and make positive contributions to serving the overall national energy strategy.
China increases sustainable development of power batteries
The reporter learned in the interview that from the technical perspective of power battery development, for a long time in the future, power batteries will mainly be made of lithium materials. Against the backdrop of limited mineral resources, it is particularly important to increase the sustainable development of power batteries.
Industry experts told reporters that it is expected that by 2025, a large number of retired power batteries in China will enter the scrap and recycling process, and more than 1 million tons of batteries may be about to be scrapped in the future. A company that produces power battery recycling equipment said that they have adopted high-tech technology from oilfield equipment to efficiently recycle battery materials.
Qu Lin, President of Jerry Environmental Protection Group: With our existing equipment and technology, we purify battery powder, achieving a recovery rate and purity of double 98%.
The reporter also learned that the China Automotive Technology Research Center is launching the “China Power Battery Sustainable Development Action Plan”. Among them, relevant standards for the “Battery Passport” are being studied and developed, covering the composition of battery materials, the share of recycled materials, and other contents. In addition, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is studying and formulating the “Management Measures for the Recycling and Utilization of New Energy Vehicle Power Batteries”. The introduction of this method will improve the recycling and utilization system of power batteries and accelerate the construction of a green and circular ecosystem.
Qu Guochun, Director of the Equipment Industry Development Center of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology: We need to increase control over the processing of battery raw materials, key battery materials, battery production, and battery recycling, connect the upstream and downstream of the industrial chain, and avoid blind introduction and production, leading to overproduction and reduced efficiency.
Post time: Nov-02-2023