Enterprises must clarify the economic value of recycling and emphasize the final stage of the NEV value chain—recycling and utilization. This reveals an important trend: competition in the NEV sector has shifted from the first half focused on driving range and intelligence to the second half, which emphasizes refueling efficiency, life cycle costs, and environmental friendliness.

Guotai Environmental Protection convened the 15th meeting of the 4th Board of Directors, reviewing and approving the "Proposal on Amending the Business Scope, Revising the , and Handling Industrial and Commercial Registration Changes." This adjustment not only represents a simple business expansion but also marks a key transformation of this traditional environmental protection enterprise into the field of new energy circular economy.

On February 24, Guotai Environmental Protection held its 15th meeting of the 4th Board of Directors, reviewing and approving the "Proposal on Amending the Business Scope, Revising the , and Handling Industrial and Commercial Registration Changes." This adjustment not only represents a simple business expansion but also marks a critical transformation of this traditional environmental protection enterprise into the field of new energy circular economy—adding businesses such as lithium-ion battery recycling, PV equipment leasing, and battery manufacturing, officially entering the rapidly growing closed-loop of the new energy industry chain. Guotai Environmental Protection's strategic adjustment is not accidental. In recent years, China's new energy vehicle industry has maintained rapid growth. Data shows that in 2025, China's NEV production and sales both achieved nearly 30% growth, with NEVs accounting for 47.9% of new vehicle sales. As early power batteries gradually enter their retirement phase, a massive backend market is accelerating its formation. Power battery recycling involves the collection, processing, and reuse of waste power batteries, aiming to promote resource circulation, protect the ecological environment, and drive long-term industry development. Currently, the standardized recycling rate for waste power batteries in China remains below 50%, with a large number of waste batteries flowing into informal channels such as "small workshops," posing environmental risks and causing the waste of strategic resources. Standardized recycling and utilization of retired power batteries are of great significance for reducing environmental pollution, ensuring the security of national critical metal resources, promoting industrial greening, and enhancing international competitiveness. In February 2025, the State Council Executive Meeting reviewed and passed the "Action Plan for Improving the NEV Power Battery Recycling and Utilization System," explicitly proposing to improve the standard system and achieve standardized, safe, and efficient recycling and utilization of power batteries. Shortly thereafter, six departments including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment jointly issued the "Interim Measures for the Recycling and Comprehensive Utilization of Waste Power Batteries from New Energy Vehicles," which will take effect on April 1, 2026. This upcoming regulation is regarded by the industry as a "watershed" for the sector. The "Management Measures" establish a "full life cycle" supervision system for power batteries, create a national traceability information platform for NEV power batteries, promote the monitoring of power battery flows and information traceability throughout their life cycle, and clarify the recycling responsibilities of power battery enterprises and NEV producers. This means that power battery recycling will shift from the past "guerrilla" operations to an era of "regular army" engagement. The introduction of the new regulation sets a clear "code of conduct" for the industry, aiming to resolve the structural contradiction between the "segmented" layout of the industry chain and the "full life cycle" management requirements, and to build a closed-loop chain of "production—use—recycling—regeneration."

Recently, the Ecology and Environment Bureau of Fuzhou City, Fujian Province, published a public notice regarding the approval decision on the environmental impact assessment document for the "Power Battery Recycling Comprehensive Utilization Project of a Company in Fujian." Upon completion, the project will be capable of recycling and processing 40,000 tons of waste power batteries annually. This includes the cascading utilization of 12,000 tons of batteries per year and the production of 30,000 tons per year of battery raw materials (copper powder, aluminum powder, electrolytic nickel, high-purity nickel sulfate solution, electrolytic cobalt, high-purity cobalt sulfate solution, crude manganese carbonate, high-purity lithium sulfate solution, and copper sponge, etc.).

Recycling Industry Events This Week (September. 22-27)

Recently, the General Office of the Yancheng Municipal People's Government issued a notice on printing and distributing the Implementation Plan for Promoting the Construction of Yancheng's National Carbon Peak Pilot Project. The document states that it is necessary to promote the large-scale development and utilisation of new energy. Strengthen the management of new energy resources, and enhance the orderly development and rational utilisation of onshore wind power and offshore PV resources. Accelerate the construction of offshore wind power projects and market-oriented grid-connected PV power generation projects, and promote the clean substitution of energy supply and the electrification of energy consumption. Develop hydrogen production from renewable energy, and orderly advance the development of green methanol, green liquid ammonia, bio-natural gas, bio-diesel, bio-jet fuel, and other green fuels. Plan and construct the Yancheng Offshore Energy Island with high standards, explore multi-energy conversion application scenarios, and establish a regional production, trade, and bunkering center for green hydrogen, ammonia, methanol, and bio-jet fuel. Guide new energy power generation enterprises to sign medium and long-term green electricity agreements with users who demand green electricity, and increase the proportion of local green electricity consumption. By 2025, the total installed capacity of renewable energy will exceed 20 million kW. By 2030, the annual power generation from renewable energy will exceed 45 billion kWh, and a comprehensive offshore smart energy island with multiple functions, including hydrogen production and bunkering, marine ranching, and centered around an offshore power hub, will be initially established. Implement demonstration projects for advanced green and low-carbon technologies. Focus on the seven major themes of "wind, solar, hydrogen, energy storage, carbon, ocean, and agriculture" to build the Yancheng Green and Low-Carbon Science and Technology Innovation Park. Plan and construct a zero-carbon and negative-carbon industry (technology) research institute with high standards. Focus on areas such as renewable energy, hydrogen energy, energy storage and smart power grids, and the circular economy, and organize and implement key R&D plans for carbon peaking and carbon neutrality to promote the development of advanced technologies and the application of research outcomes. Support eligible projects to be included in the national demonstration projects for advanced green and low-carbon technologies, and recommend them for application for ultra-long-term special treasury bonds and central budgetary investments. Vigorously develop a green and low-carbon circular economy. Leverage the guiding role of the Yancheng Green and Low-Carbon Industry Mother Fund to expand and strengthen advantageous industries such as new energy, NEVs and core parts, and next-generation information technology. Accelerate the development of characteristic industries such as green environmental protection, and proactively plan for future industries such as hydrogen energy and new-type energy storage. Actively promote the development of remanufacturing and second-life application industries, and establish a material recycling and circular utilisation system with the concept of "one product per county". Explore comprehensive utilisation models for new types of waste, such as retired PV modules, wind turbine blades, and waste power batteries. By 2030, a comprehensive, efficient, and well-regulated waste material utilisation system will be fully established, and the scale of the green and low-carbon industry will reach 500 billion yuan.