The city of Qingdao is positioning itself to bolster its power and energy storage battery sector, with an ambitious goal to see the number of major enterprises within the industrial chain exceed 50 by 2028, while driving the total output value beyond 180 billion yuan.
Qingdao is accelerating the innovative development of its power and energy storage battery industry. The city aims to achieve an industrial output value exceeding 180 billion yuan for the power/energy storage battery sector by 2028. It plans to maintain a national market share of over 30% for anode materials, while focusing on expanding production capacity for cathode materials, separators, and other components, and accelerating breakthroughs in the research and development of next-generation cathode materials and solid-state electrolytes.
The city targets increasing battery pack (PACK) capacity from the current 24.4 GWh to 80 GWh, while enhancing the supporting capabilities for key components such as Battery Management Systems (BMS), Power Conversion Systems (PCS), and thermal management systems.
The application scenarios for power and energy storage batteries are set to expand continuously, with local supporting capabilities steadily improving. This will foster integrated applications across multiple fields including new energy vehicles, energy storage power stations, engineering machinery, embodied intelligence, and the low-altitude economy.
In terms of industrial layout, the city will focus on creating a "1+1" spatial configuration: a battery materials cluster in the Pingdu-Laixi area and a battery industry cluster belt spanning Laixi, Jimo, Chengyang, and the West Coast New Area.
Recently, the Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology and four other departments jointly issued the "Qingdao Power and Energy Storage Battery Industry Innovation and Development Action Plan (2026-2028)". Qingdao will further leverage its existing advantages in key battery materials, address shortcomings in PACK system capacity and key supporting components like BMS, PCS, and thermal management, and improve the industrial ecosystem encompassing key materials, battery cells, PACK systems, recycling, and application scenarios. The goal is to cultivate a new energy battery manufacturing hub with regional competitiveness.
According to the action plan, Qingdao aims to have over 50 major enterprises in the power/energy storage battery industrial chain by 2028, with an output value surpassing 180 billion yuan. Specifically, the national market share for anode materials will be maintained above 30%, with efforts to boost production capacity for cathode materials and separators, and to accelerate R&D breakthroughs in next-generation cathode materials and solid-state electrolytes. Battery PACK capacity is planned to increase from the current 24.4 GWh to 80 GWh, enhancing the supporting capabilities for critical components.
The application of power/energy storage batteries will be expanded into more scenarios, and local supporting capacity will be steadily enhanced, fostering integrated applications across sectors such as new energy vehicles, energy storage power stations, engineering machinery, embodied intelligence, and the low-altitude economy. The industrial layout will focus on establishing the aforementioned "1+1" spatial configuration.
To strengthen key materials, Qingdao will adhere to the principle of "consolidating strengths and addressing weaknesses," enhancing key battery materials, researching and developing next-generation production technologies and equipment, and improving the supply capacity of foundational battery materials. For anode materials, the city will continue to consolidate resource advantages, supporting existing enterprises in the Nanshu graphite cluster to expand production and maintain a leading national market position, while guiding them to develop next-generation anode material technologies.
For cathode materials, building on the existing technological foundation, the city will promote the technological iteration of next-generation materials like lithium iron manganese phosphate and lithium-rich manganese-based cathodes to maintain a leading edge in specific segments, and accelerate the industrialization of solid-state battery cathode materials.
Furthermore, Qingdao is making strategic moves in areas such as conductive agents, separator production equipment, electrolytes, and binders. This includes supporting leading conductive agent companies to expand production of graphene and carbon nanotubes, fostering collaboration with local cathode and anode material firms to build comprehensive material system competitiveness. Leveraging local advantages in separator equipment manufacturing, the city aims to attract supporting enterprises and encourage them to move into higher-value-added products like coated separators, creating a nationally leading separator R&D and manufacturing base.
Utilizing the Dongjiakou and Xinhe chemical industrial parks, the city plans to scale up existing solvent producers, actively deploy innovative projects in electrolyte sub-sectors, and rapidly build local supporting capacity. It will also support existing binder manufacturers in expanding into the power battery field.
To improve system integration, Qingdao will follow the approaches of "optimizing existing capacity, improving quality, and reducing costs" and "scale-driven, collaborative support." It plans to boost battery system capacity through various means, including encouraging local battery manufacturers to improve quality and expand production, supporting application companies in building their own battery production lines, and attracting investments from leading battery enterprises. This initiative aims to drive improvements in key supporting capabilities.
According to the action plan, Qingdao will focus on three key areas: promoting the quality upgrade of battery cells, strengthening PACK system integration, and enhancing key supporting capabilities. This involves supporting existing cell manufacturers to become stronger and more competitive, guiding power battery cell producers to upgrade towards high-energy-density, fast-charging batteries, and assisting energy storage battery companies in transitioning towards larger-capacity cells with longer cycle life.
The city will seize industrial opportunities arising from the integration between vehicle manufacturers, energy storage firms, and battery companies. It will support existing PACK projects in improving quality and expanding production, and facilitate the rapid commissioning and full-capacity operation of newly built production lines. The plan encourages qualified vehicle manufacturers to establish their own PACK production lines and actively seeks to attract leading domestic PACK enterprises to set up manufacturing bases in Qingdao. The scale effect of PACK production capacity is expected to drive improvements in the supporting capabilities for key components like BMS, PCS, and thermal management systems.
Focusing on building the industrial ecosystem, Qingdao will accelerate the establishment of a recycling system for used power batteries, cultivate backbone enterprises, achieve breakthroughs in low-value material recovery and high-value utilization technologies, create a regional comprehensive processing base, and realize green, circular development of the industrial chain.
According to the action plan, Qingdao will research and formulate special policies for the recycling and utilization of retired new energy vehicle power batteries. It will comprehensively analyze battery application demands in sectors such as new energy vehicles, energy storage power stations, and the low-altitude economy, establishing and dynamically updating a "scenario opportunity list."
Additionally, Qingdao will actively prepare for next-generation battery technologies. Adhering to a forward-looking strategy, the city will target technological pathways like solid-state batteries and sodium-ion batteries, aiming to achieve breakthroughs in key materials and core technologies. It will accelerate the industrialization of scientific and technological achievements and their demonstration applications, building momentum for sustained industrial leadership.
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