U.S. automotive giant General Motors (GM) has announced an investment in U.S. startup Peak Energy and plans to advance the commercialization of sodium-ion batteries, primarily for energy storage systems (ESS), with deployment targeted after 2029. This marks the first meaningful entry of a non-Chinese automaker into the field and is prompting Korea’s battery industry to incorporate sodium-ion technology into its strategic priorities, even as it accelerates efforts to catch up in LFP. Unlike ternary batteries (NCM/NCA) and LFP, which rely on lithium, sodium-ion batteries use more abundant and lower-cost sodium as a substitute, offering advantages such as greater supply chain stability, better low-temperature performance, and enhanced safety—making them particularly suitable for large-scale energy storage applications. At the same time, increased volatility in lithium prices has further strengthened the cost competitiveness of sodium-ion batteries. Korean players including LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI, and SK On have already accelerated their efforts, aiming to advance sample production or commercialization around 2027. Overall, GM’s entry signals that a technology pathway previously dominated by Chinese companies is becoming globalized, and it is likely to push Korean battery manufacturers to accelerate adjustments to their technology and product portfolios.

Since 2017, Vietnam’s solar market has grown rapidly under strong policy support, especially feed-in tariff incentives. This drove fast capacity expansion but also exposed grid constraints as development outpaced transmission infrastructure. As subsidies gradually phased out, market logic shifted from policy-driven growth to energy security and system stability.

From June 3 to June 5, Indonesia Critical Minerals 2026 was held at the Pullman Jakarta Central Park in Jakarta, Indonesia. The conference was organized by Shanghai Metals Market (SMM) and co-organized by the Indonesia Nickel Miners Association (APNI) , the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia , the National Economic Council of Indonesia , and MMR , in a strategic partnership with the Jakarta Futures Exchange . The conference featured six dedicated forums: the main forum, the nickel and cobalt forum, the tin forum, the coal & energy transition forum, the aluminum forum, and dedicated sub-forums, attracting 3,500+ attendees from 45 countries and regions worldwide, featuring more than 120+ speakers sharing insights on market prices, supply-demand patterns, industry policies, low-carbon development, and ESG development, etc. Conference Background As the largest economy in Southeast Asia, Indonesia is accelerating its energy transition and green, low-carbon development, presenting strategic opportunities for the PV and energy storage industry. To realize its 2060 carbon neutrality vision, the Indonesian government has issued a national energy plan that explicitly sets a target of 100 GW of PV installations by 2030. At the same time, Indonesia's resource-based industries such as nickel ore are concentrated, and mining enterprises face increasingly stringent ESG compliance requirements and pressure for sustainable transformation. Coupled with the challenges of accelerating domestic industrialization and persistently tight power supply, equipping mines with PV and energy storage systems has become a core pathway to addressing power shortages, reducing carbon emissions, and controlling energy costs. Market demand is being rapidly unleashed, creating vast opportunities for future industrial cooperation. Against this backdrop, SMM has organized a Coal & Energy Transition Forum at this conference, aiming to gather industry elites and jointly explore new opportunities for PV+ESS development in Indonesia. 》Click to view the conference live photo coverage June 4: Coal & Energy Transition Forum Keynote Speeches Keynote Speech: The Future of Renewable Energy for Mining Contractors in Indonesia Guest Speaker: Bambang Tjahjono, Executive Director of ASPINDO Panel Discussion: The Indonesia 2060 Net-Zero Roadmap: The Role and Transition Pathway for the Mining Sector Moderator: Verena Streitferdt, Director, Tri Hita Consulting Panelists: Alfonsius Ariawan, Mining & Metals Lead, Indonesia, dss+ Yan Yan Muhammad Achdiansyah, Innovative Project Manager for Asia Pacific, HDF Energy Ardhi Ishak, Chairman of Industry Relations & Industry Associations, PERHAPI (Association of Indonesian Mining Professionals) Keynote Speech: Banking on the Transition: Sustainable Finance Solutions for Indonesia’s Mining and Energy Sector Guest Speaker: Dendi Ramdani, Vice President for Industry and Regional Research, PT Bank Mandiri (Persero) Tbk. [Panel Discussion] Reshaping the Role of Coal: Balancing Indonesia's Energy Security and Just Transition Moderator: Muhammad Saly Putra, Head of Marketing, MMS Resources Panelists: Putra Adhiguna, Managing Director, Energy Shift Institute Anton Frian Yohanes Reynaldo, Global Relations Team, Badan Pengaturan Badan Usaha Milik Negara (BP BUMN) Gita Mahyarani, Executive Director, APBI-ICMA Emmanuel Jefferson Kuesar, Chief Executive Officer, Sun Energy Ardhi Ishak, Chairman of Industry Relations & Industry Associations, PERHAPI (Association of Indonesian Mining Professionals) Keynote Speech: Shifting Global Demand: Capturing Emerging Markets in South Asia Guest Speaker: Vasudev Pamnani, Director, iEnergy Natural Resources Limited Executive Roundtable – Margin Protection Strategies: Managing High Production Costs, Royalty Hikes, and Domestic Pricing Caps Moderator: Kevin Triadi Gunawan, Country BD Manager, Argus Panelists: Suryo Suwignjo, CEO, PT Titan Infra Sejatera Ashok Mitra, Senior Advisor, Bakrie Capital Indonesia FH Kristiono, CEO, UCoal Keynote Speech: The Cost of Compliance: Balancing Cash Flow and Strategic Investment Amidst RKAB Quota Cuts and DMO Burdens Speaker: Subhashish Datta, CFO, Kaltim Prima Coal June 5 Coal & Energy Transition Forum Keynote Speeches Panel Discussion: Vision to Leverage 100GW of Solar - What are the Opportunities and Challenges Moderator: Tengku Zulchairi P., Indonesia Sales Manager, LONGi Solar Panelists: Dr. Farid Wijaya, Manager of Sectoral Decarbonization Research, Institute for Essential Services Reform (IESR) Eka Himawan, Co-Founder & Managing Director, Xurya Daya Indonesia Johan Hadi Wardoyo, Chief Commercial Officer, PT Trina Mas Agra Indonesia Keynote Speech: Navigating the Cycles: The Evolution of Global PV Supply Chains and Its Strategic Impact on Indonesia Speaker: Ryan Tey Tze Yang, PV Analyst, Shanghai Metals Market Keynote Speech: From Ambition to Action: AESI's Roadmap for Solar deployment in Indonesia's Critical Minerals Sector Speaker: I Made Aditya Suryawidya, Vice Chairman of Research and Technology, Asosiasi Energi Surya Indonesia (AESI) Panel Discussion: Hybrid Energy Systems: Designing the Optimal Mix of Solar, Storage, and Diesel for Mega-Mines Moderator: Ryan Tey Tze Yang, PV Analyst, Shanghai Metals Market Panelists: Eka Satria, CEO, Medco Power Indonesia Ricky Cahya Andrian, Vice President of Decarbonization Business Development and Energy Management, PT PLN (Persero) Karina Darmawan, Chief Executive Officer, SUN Mobility Muchtazar, Head of Sustainability, Nickel Industries Limited Nian Gao, Director, Microgrid Solution Department, Sungrow Keynote Speech: EV Infrastructure & Energy Storage: The Final Piece of the Mining Decarbonization Puzzle Speaker: Christopher Marvel, Country Business Development Manager - Indonesia, StarCharge Mining carbon emissions are typical operational emissions, with emission sources spanning the entire operational chain of a mine. Mine decarbonization cannot be achieved solely through carbon disclosure, carbon offsets, or green procurement. Daily production activities such as transportation and turnaround, captive power supply, crushing and grinding, mine ventilation, and process electricity are the core carriers of carbon emissions. The core challenge for the industry today is to steadily reduce carbon emission intensity against a backdrop of growing demand for minerals. This requires a systematic restructuring of the mine’s overall energy system, rather than simply replacing fuels for individual equipment. Diesel-powered transport is the key battleground for carbon reduction in mines Various types of mobile equipment are the key targets for carbon emission monitoring. The average annual fuel consumption of a single mining truck is close to one million liters. For open-pit mines, fuel consumption is closely linked to haul distance, road gradient, payload, dispatch management, and vehicle idling. Therefore, the transport phase becomes the optimal breakthrough point that balances carbon reduction and production efficiency. The electrification of mining trucks is not a technical bottleneck; the real key lies in whether the supporting core infrastructure, such as charging and energy storage, can enable the equipment to operate at full capacity and ensure that production is not affected. The global fleet of large mining haul trucks numbers about 28,000 units, and is still predominantly diesel-powered. According to RMI estimates, the average annual diesel consumption of a single truck reaches 900,000 liters; energy consumption by haul vehicles accounts for 30%–50% of total mine energy use, corresponding to annual CO2 emissions from the global fleet of approximately 68 million mt. Keynote Speech: From Blueprint to Site: Engineering Practices for High-Availability PV-Storage Microgrids in Indonesia’s Tropical Rainforests Guest Speaker: Frank Qi, CEO, AI Power (Suzhou) Tech. Co., Ltd. Suryawan Teddy, Director of ATW Solar Panel Discussion: What Will Drive the Next Wave of Industrial Solar in Indonesia? Moderator: Eric C. Listyosuputro, Partner, EY-Parthenon Indonesia Panelists: Jannata (Egi) Giwangkara, Country Lead – Indonesia, Climateworks Zidny Ilman, Associate Vice President of Public Policy and Government Relations, Suryanesia

2026 China Central International Power Transformer Export Expo 2026 China Central International Power Transformer Export Expo Concurrently held: The 8th China (Zhengzhou) International New-type Power and Smart Energy Industry Exhibition August 15-17, 2026, Central China International Convention and Exhibition Center (Airport Area) Annual Central China Power and Electrical Industry Development Conference Estimated exhibition data: 18 countries and regions 600+ exhibiting brands 300+ media coverage 20 forum events 40,000 m² exhibition area 50,000 visitors Co-organizers: Henan Electrical Equipment Industry Association Beijing Aibo International Exhibition Co., Ltd. Executing Unit: Beijing Aibo International Exhibition Co., Ltd. Title Sponsor: Henan Senyuan Electric Co., Ltd. Official Website: http://byq.aiboexpo.com ※ Exhibition Overview: Currently, 'carbon neutrality' has become a global consensus. Achieving carbon peak and carbon neutrality is a solemn commitment China has made to the world and a broad and profound economic and social transformation. Realizing clean and zero-carbon energy is a crucial guarantee for carbon neutrality. The development and maturation of the new-type power industry are of great significance for accelerating the construction of a new power system dominated by new energy. In recent years, supported by a series of national policies, global renewable energy industries such as PV, wind power, hydropower, new-type energy storage, charging facilities, and hydrogen energy have achieved rapid development. With new breakthroughs in next-generation technologies and equipment, the future new energy market holds limitless prospects. At the 2024 Bosch Connected World conference, the world's richest man Elon Musk predicted that the rapid development of AI and EVs would lead to a severe shortage of transformers. Today, this prediction has become a reality. Amid this global 'transformer shortage', the latest data from China's General Administration of Customs shows: in 2025, China's transformer export value reached 64.6 billion yuan, a YoY surge of 36%, with the average unit price exceeding 205,000 yuan, a rise of 33%. Even more astonishing—orders for high-end ultra-high voltage and data center-dedicated transformers have been scheduled into 2027, with some stretching into 2028! The global transformer shortage is the inevitable result of multiple contemporary factors overlapping. From an infrastructure perspective, the power systems in Europe and the US are undergoing a 'major overhaul'. A Goldman Sachs report from September 2025 pointed out that most of Europe's grid infrastructure has been in operation for 40-50 years, and in the US, 31% of transmission equipment and 46% of distribution facilities are past their service life. To this end, the EU plans to invest €1.2 trillion over the next decade to upgrade its power grid, and the US also announced $1.1 trillion over five years for the power sector. As core equipment for power grid upgrades, transformers have naturally become a focal point of demand. Amid the global transition toward green and low-carbon development, the construction of green energy power plants such as PV and wind power has further lifted transformer demand. The international energy industry analysis firm “Allied Market” forecast that the global transformer market size will reach $103 billion in 2031, Henan is located in central China and has long been known as the “heartland of Kyushu and the thoroughfare of ten provinces,” serving as an important transportation hub in China that connects east and west and links north and south. Developing a hub economy is a key pillar for integrating into the new development paradigm. “In recent years, our province has leveraged its transportation and location advantages to continuously strengthen the hub economy. Seizing the opportunity presented by the development of a unified national market, we have built a comprehensive ‘rice + well + people’ transportation corridor and initially formed a broad multimodal transport landscape integrating and connecting airports, inland ports, highway ports, high-speed rail ports, and ports of entry. It has become a logistics corridor hub that connects at home and abroad and radiates across the east, central, and west. Trading globally, the hub advantage is gradually being transformed into a competitive edge for development. Leveraging Henan’s status as a major province in China in terms of population, agriculture, industry, and energy consumption, its transportation and geographic advantages are driving global power grid upgrades, with transformers playing a crucial role in building a new-type power system. To rapidly and accurately connect sellers and buyers and help enterprises expand broader markets in and outside China, the “2026 China · Central and Western China International Power Transformer Export Expo,” jointly organized by the Henan Electrical Industry Association and Beijing Aibo International Exhibition Co., Ltd., is scheduled to be held on August 15-17, 2026 at Zhongyuan International Convention and Exhibition Center, Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone, concurrently with the “8th China (Zhengzhou) International New-Type Power and Smart Energy Industry Exhibition.” This exhibition is expected to cover 40,000㎡, attracting more than 600 brand exhibitors from around the world to make a concentrated appearance in central China, with over 50,000 visits expected from professional visitors and buyers. We sincerely invite transformer producers, manufacturers, and related supporting suppliers from in and outside China to gather in central China and share this grand industry event! As one of China’s 12 highest-level international comprehensive transportation hubs and one of the country’s six airport-type national logistics hubs, Zhengzhou is a comprehensive hub city integrating highways, railways, aviation, power, and communications. It enjoys uniquely advantageous geographic conditions. With Zhengzhou as the center, a two-hour aviation circle covers 92% of China’s population, 94% of its total economic output, and 98% of its foreign trade share. Against the backdrop of the current dual-circulation development model and domestic demand boost, Zhengzhou’s market radiation advantage nationwide will become even more prominent. Henan has a solid industrial foundation and a complete industrial supporting system, highly aligned with the development needs of the new energy industry. It can better promote deep integrated development across the upstream and downstream industry chain of new energy enterprises, achieve resource sharing and complementary advantages, and jointly drive coordinated development of the industry. Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone Comprehensive Experimental Zone, known as the “Central China Special Zone,” is currently the only national-level aviation economy development pilot zone approved by the State Council. The Airport Economy Zone closely focuses on five major strategic positioning goals: the “Air Silk Road” pilot zone, the “National Airport Economy Experimental Zone,” the “core growth pole of the Central Plains Economic Zone and the Zhengzhou Metropolitan Area,” a “modernized, internationalized, world-class logistics hub,” and the “Central China Special Zone”; and deepens the development of five major centers: an international advanced manufacturing center, international trade center, international transportation and logistics center, international creative fashion center, and international innovation talent center. The Airport Economy Zone has become a growth pole of great strategic value for Zhengzhou’s development and a high ground for opening up across the province. ※Key Invitations Target Audience: Power, petroleum, chemicals, metallurgy, steel, cement, coal, textiles, transportation, electronics, communications, environmental protection, transport, machinery, turnkey equipment suppliers, traders, etc. Real estate developers, construction contractors, decoration and renovation companies, architects, designers, engineers, importers and exporters, wholesalers, distributors, manufacturers, retailers, buildings, property management institutions, and industry end-users (such as hospitals, schools, government agencies, hotels, shopping malls, etc.). Relevant government departments, power companies, power grid companies, power supply departments, planning departments, municipal engineering entities, design and research institutions, competent authorities, associations, societies, media organizations, etc. ※ Media Spotlight and Synchronized Promotion : Helping exhibitors deeply explore clients, find professional buyers, promote brands, and close deals has always been the mission and responsibility of the organizers of the Central China Transformer Expo! We will join forces with Xinhua Net, People’s Daily Online, Economic Net, Sina, ifeng.com, CNR.cn, Guangming Online, CCTV.com, China News Service, Dayu Net, Dahe Net, Yingxiang Net, Zhongyuan Net, Jinbao Net, Sunan Net, Dahe Daily, Sohu, iQIYI, Baidu, Toutiao, Henan TV, Dazhong.com, Haibao News, Douyin, Kuaishou, Xiaohongshu, Zhihu, Huaxia Energy Network, International New Energy Network, Polaris Electric Power Network, Power Supply Network, China Transformer Network, Transformer Market Network, Electronic Transformer Information Network, Sobi PV Energy Storage Network, PV Industry Network, Energy World, Household PV Network, EV Network, First EV Network, Charging Piles Network, NEV Industry Network, and more than 100 other media outlets to provide comprehensive coverage of the exhibition, helping enterprises promote new products and technologies, enhance brand image, and strengthen corporate influence. ※ If you are a supplier of the following products, please book a booth: 1 、Transformers: Dry-type transformers, oil-immersed transformers; PV transformers, wind power transformers, box-type substations, electric furnace transformers, mining transformers, marine transformers, movable vehicle-mounted transformers, customized transformers and solutions, etc. 2 、Transformer Design and Manufacturing: Transformer R&D and design software, virtual simulation software; fully automatic winding machines, core laser cutting equipment, robotic insulation coating systems; partial discharge detection instruments, automatic withstand-voltage test benches, AI visual defect recognition systems; overall solutions for digital factories, etc. 3 、Key Transformer Materials: Conductive materials (e.g., copper semis, aluminum semis, copper-aluminum composite materials), magnetic materials (silicon steel and amorphous alloys, ferrite materials), insulating materials (insulating paper, paperboard, insulating varnish, insulating oil, epoxy resin, electrical insulating wood, varnished cloth, varnished cloth tape), etc. 4 、Key Transformer Components: Core, windings, oil tank/oil conservator, bushings, oil level gauges, oil purifiers, conductive rod, sealing gaskets, breathers, insulating materials, tap changers, gas relays, explosion-proof pipes, temperature measuring devices, fire extinguishing devices, clamps, surge arresters, pressure release devices, other transformer accessories/consumables, etc. 5 、Green Electricity Technologies and Applications: Distributed PV/wind power energy systems; energy routers, renewable energy grid connection controllers, cloud-edge collaborative microgrid control systems, virtual power plant (VPP) access terminals; green electricity traceability platforms, full life cycle carbon footprint monitoring instruments, enterprise ESG compliance management software, etc. 6 、Smart Power Supply and Distribution Systems: High-voltage direct current (HVDC) power supply, liquid-cooled power distribution systems, flexible DC converters (medium and high voltage), solid-state transformers (SST)/high-efficiency transformers, high-voltage/medium-voltage switchgear; smart low-voltage distribution cabinets, busway systems, smart header boards, cabinet PDUs; active power filters (APF), dynamic voltage restorers (DVR); DC circuit breakers, DC fuses, smart arc detection systems, lightning surge protectors, etc. 7 、Digital Energy Efficiency Management: AI monitoring platforms for power supply and distribution, digital twin O&M systems, predictive maintenance tools, CFD simulation and energy efficiency optimization software, etc. 8 、Collaborative Innovation in Energy Storage: Lithium battery/flow/sodium-ion energy storage systems, integrated PV+ESS+hydrogen solutions, containerized integrated energy storage units, etc. 9 、Related Services: Planning consulting and design, engineering construction, completion acceptance, rating and certification, infrastructure O&M, IT services and O&M. ※Fee-Based Items: ● Booth Fees: Booth Category Standard Booth (Single Open Side) Standard Booth (Double Open Sides) Deluxe Standard Booth (Single Open Side) Deluxe Standard Booth (Double Open Sides) Special Booth Bare Space China Enterprises ¥8,800 yuan/booth ¥9,800 yuan/booth ¥11,800 yuan/booth ¥12,800 yuan/booth ¥900/㎡ Foreign-Funded Enterprises $1,980/booth $2,980/booth $3,980/booth $4,980/booth $300/㎡ 1、Standard Booth: Minimum rental 3m×3m=9㎡; equipped with: white partition panels (2.5 meters high), one table and two chairs, Chinese-English header board, two fluorescent lights, carpet, and one power socket. 2、Deluxe Standard Booth: Minimum rental 3m×3m=9㎡; equipped with: white partition panels (2.5 meters high), one table and two chairs, Chinese-English header board, two fluorescent lights, carpet, one power socket, and raised booth fascia. 3、Special Booth Bare Space: Minimum rental 36㎡; provided: exhibition space and cleaning services; excluding booth construction and production costs. The bare space does not include any display racks or facilities. To ensure booth construction quality, all exhibitors are requested to use the contractor designated by the organizer to build their booths; no other contractors are allowed to enter the venue. (The organizing committee collects a special booth management fee on behalf of the venue: designated contractor ¥50 yuan/㎡, non-designated contractor ¥70 yuan/㎡). ● Conference Booklet Advertising: It will help you find clients after the exhibition! In addition to being widely distributed during the exhibition, it will also be distributed through various channels to professionals in different regions who were unable to visit the exhibition, enabling them to quickly find contact information and service details via the conference booklet. (The conference booklet is printed in full color on imported copper paper; size: 210mm×135mm). Front Cover ¥20,000 yuan Inside Front Cover/Inside Back Cover ¥7,000 yuan Frontispiece ¥6,000 yuan Black-and-White Page ¥4,000 yuan Back Cover ¥15,000 yuan Double-Page Color Spread ¥8,000 yuan Color Page ¥5,000 yuan 500-Word Company Profile ¥3,000 yuan ● Other Advertising: Advertising fees must be prepaid in full as a one-time payment; exhibitors who are unable to participate on time for any reason may also choose the following advertising promotions. Outdoor Plaza Arch ¥10,000 yuan/set (2 units) Carpet Floor Sticker Ad ¥500 yuan/unit Visitor Tickets ¥10,000 yuan/1,000 tickets Visitor Badge Lanyards ¥10,000 yuan/1,000 pcs Back-of-Visitor-Badge Ad ¥10,000 yuan/1,000 pcs Official Website Ad ¥10,000 yuan/banner/year Outdoor Road Flags ¥1,000 yuan/pair (2 units) Official Account Ad ¥10,000 yuan/unit/year Outdoor Billboard ¥10,000 yuan/unit Exhibitor Badge Lanyards ¥10,000 yuan/1,000 pcs Back-of-Exhibitor-Badge Ad ¥10,000 yuan/1,000 pcs Document Bags ¥20,000 yuan/1,000 pcs ● Product Promotion Session/Technical Seminar: A conference room accommodating 100-600 people, ¥30,000 yuan for 60 minutes per session, used for venue setup and related equipment rental (including venue, audio and projection equipment, lighting, tables and chairs, tea and other supporting facilities and services, and assistance in organizing the audience for the presenting enterprise). ※Exhibition Participation Procedures: 1. Fill out the exhibition application form and fax or scan it to the organizing unit. Booth allocation principle: “first apply, first pay, first arranged.” 2. After the contract is confirmed and stamped by both parties, the exhibiting unit shall remit the exhibition fees by telegraphic transfer to the organizing unit’s collection account within 2 working days. 3. After remitting all fees, exhibitors are requested to fax the bank remittance slip to the organizing unit. 4. After receiving the exhibition fees, the organizing unit will issue the Exhibitor Manual to exhibitors within one month before the exhibition opens to confirm participation notes. ※ Organizing Committee Secretariat: Beijing Aibo International Exhibition Co., Ltd. Contact: Zhang Lei 17729729055 Fax: +86 010-86487300 E-mail: 2662486664@qq.com Website: http://byq.aiboexpo.com Scan to Book a Booth

Recently, the largest battery energy storage project in Hungary, invested and constructed by Greenvolt Power, was officially put into operation, and an inauguration ceremony was held at the project site. The project has a scale of 99.8MW/288.6MWh, with BYD Energy Storage providing 288.6MWh of its Cube Battery Energy Storage System. Following its operation, this project will significantly enhance the regulation capability and power supply reliability of the local grid, support the large-scale grid integration of renewable energy in Hungary and the Central and Eastern European region, and accelerate the green transformation of the local energy structure.

Recently, the methanol-hydrogen backup smart microgrid on Dadaosha Island, Panyu District, Guangzhou, completed commissioning and was successfully put into operation, with equipment running in a stable state. This marks the first on-site application of methanol reforming hydrogen production and power generation technology in an urban island distribution network scenario in Guangzhou. It not only opens a green pathway for ensuring residential power supply during emergencies such as extreme weather and disasters, but also creates a replicable and scalable practical model for emergency power supply work in islands, urban villages, and central urban areas within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. This methanol-hydrogen backup power supply was independently developed and built by the Guangzhou Power Supply Bureau of Guangdong Power Grid Company. The overall system comprises three core modules: methanol reforming hydrogen production , fuel cell power generation, and lithium battery energy storage buffering. It can steadily provide 1,000 kWh of continuous power supply and quickly restore power when the main grid fails. According to relevant technical personnel, the system uses methanol as a hydrogen storage carrier. It produces hydrogen on-site through catalytic reforming technology for immediate use, completely avoiding the safety risks associated with high-pressure hydrogen storage and transportation. The entire process from methanol solution refueling and unit startup heating to full-load operation is automated, and it can also flexibly adapt to dynamic changes in electricity loads. Compared with traditional diesel generator sets, this equipment offers distinct advantages: the cost per unit of power generation drops by approximately 50%, operating noise is significantly reduced, and carbon emissions are cut by over 40%, demonstrating a very prominent green and energy-saving profile. Located at the Pearl River estuary, Dadaosha Island and Guanlong Island primarily rely on agricultural production, with fish ponds, flower planting bases, and agro-cultural tourism projects scattered across them, imposing stringent requirements on power supply stability. Previously, the two islands depended on a single overhead line across the river for power, with no backup supply channel, resulting in a relatively weak grid structure. Coupled with the geographical feature of being surrounded by water, line patrols and emergency repairs during severe weather or at night were challenging, and power restoration after outages took a considerable amount of time. To address the challenge of securing power supply for islands, the Guangzhou Power Supply Bureau planned and deployed four independent yet mutually cooperative microgrids across the two islands. This initiative established the first megacity island microgrid cluster within China Southern Power Grid that achieves coordinated and partitioned regulation and dynamic islanding control across the main grid, distribution network, and microgrid. Multi-grid coordination and linkage are also central to the stable operation of this new-type power grid system. According to staff introduction, the four microgrids can operate either independently or complement each other through networking for combined power supply. During normal main grid operation, the microgrids can participate in power dispatch and peak shaving and valley filling, reducing grid energy consumption. Once an external grid fault occurs, the system can switch to islanded operation mode within milliseconds, rapidly restoring power supply to the area and ensuring that residential living and agricultural production are unaffected. On April 22 this year, an off-grid field test was also conducted. The test simulated a transformer fault and disconnection from the main grid. The methanol-hydrogen backup power supply quickly connected to the low-voltage grid, with an imperceptible switching process. All electrical equipment for the island’s 94 user households returned to normal operation, and neither irrigation nor residential electricity was interrupted. One hour later, the main grid restored power, and the equipment automatically switched to standby mode. The fuel cell simultaneously recharged the ESS battery, remaining on standby for subsequent emergency needs. Reliable power support also lays a solid foundation for the development of the local agro-cultural tourism industry. A relevant person in charge of a large-scale cultural tourism camp on the island stated that after the microgrid’s operation, various electricity consumption scenarios—such as fish pond farming, amusement facilities, and RV charging—have all received stable support. Currently, this set of methanol hydrogen production and power generation equipment has been connected to the Guangzhou urban distribution network intelligent management and control platform. Future implementations will include unattended operation, remote control, and autonomous fault diagnosis functions. The main part of the project for the remaining three microgrids has been completed, and equipment joint commissioning is currently underway. They are planned for full deployment by month-end June to fully guarantee regional electricity demand during the summer peak and support agricultural and cultural tourism projects.

[SMM Copper Foil Monthly Operating Rate] In May 2026, the electronic circuit copper foil operating rate was 89.57%, up 1.14 percentage points MoM and up 13.96 percentage points YoY; the lithium battery copper foil operating rate was 90.68%, up 0.25 percentage points MoM and up 20.29 percentage points YoY. Affected by the grid connection deadline (June 30), energy storage projects experienced concentrated installation rush, together with high production schedules of power batteries, leading to steady release of lithium battery copper foil demand. Robust demand from the AI computing power industry drove the industry capacity upgrade toward high-end specifications, effectively boosting electronic circuit copper foil demand.

[SMM Copper Foil Operating Rate Forecast] According to SMM forecast, the overall operating rate of the industry will reach 91.55% in June, rising by 1.24 percentage points MoM and by 16.77 percentage points YoY, with shipments expected to grow 2.48% MoM. The electronic circuit copper foil operating rate is expected to rise 0.22 percentage points MoM to 89.79%, and the lithium battery copper foil operating rate to rise 1.76 percentage points MoM to 92.44%. The residual heat of energy storage installation rush, high-level production of battery enterprises, and the transformation toward high-end capacity will support the industry operating rate to hold above 90%.

From June 3 to June 5, Indonesia Critical Minerals 2026 was held at the Pullman Jakarta Central Park in Jakarta, Indonesia. The conference was organized by Shanghai Metals Market (SMM) and co-organized by the Indonesia Nickel Miners Association (APNI) , the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia , the National Economic Council of Indonesia , and MMR , in a strategic partnership with the Jakarta Futures Exchange . The conference featured six dedicated forums: the main forum, the nickel and cobalt forum, the tin forum, the coal & energy transition forum, the aluminum forum, and dedicated sub-forums, attracting 3,500+ attendees from 45 countries and regions worldwide, featuring more than 120+ speakers sharing insights on market prices, supply-demand patterns, industry policies, low-carbon development, and ESG development, etc. Additionally, SMM has also meticulously arranged two rounds of panel discussions: Senior Executives' Roadmaps to Overcome Resource, Cost, Technology & ESG Challenges The "Green Premium" Myth vs. Reality: Who Will Pay for Decarbonization in the Critical Minerals Supply Chain? Conference Background In recent years, global nickel and cobalt raw material supply has frequently encountered various disruptions: Indonesia significantly lowered its nickel ore mining quota to 260–270 million mt, tightening nickel resource release at the source; the DRC continuously reduced cobalt ore export quotas, leading to a marked contraction in tradable cobalt raw materials worldwide. Multiple supply variables continued to roil nickel and cobalt commodity futures. Meanwhile, Indonesia is not only the core hub of the global nickel industry chain but also a key production area for global new cobalt supply at this stage. Its industrial control policies, commissioning pace of capacity, and industry chain layout changes directly shape the evolution of the global nickel-cobalt supply-demand pattern. Currently, the global nickel and cobalt industry is at a critical development stage featuring supply-demand restructuring, policy innovation, and value reassessment. To accurately forecast the nickel and cobalt market trends in 2026, deeply analyze the latest industrial control details in Indonesia, and help upstream and downstream players across the industry chain break down collaboration barriers, the Nickel and Cobalt Forum was launched. The forum brought together global mines, smelters, trading firms, downstream end-users, and investment and financing institutions to conduct in-depth discussions on key topics such as market supply and demand trends, policies and regulations, production technology iteration, and cross-border industrial cooperation, jointly exploring new growth drivers for high-quality industry development. Click to view the conference photo gallery June 4: Keynote Speeches Keynote Speech: Mining Regulatory Outlook: RKAB Quota Planning and Indonesia's Next-Phase Downstream Mineral Expansion Path Guest Speaker: Totoh Abdul Fatah, Secretary General of the Directorate General of Mineral and Coal, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Totoh Abdul Fatah noted that RKAB is the key policy instrument for Indonesia to regulate mineral output, coordinate the orderly rollout of industries, and align with the nation's downstream industrialization priorities. Indonesia is endowed with exceptional mineral and coal resources, with significant reserves and capacity in several key strategic commodities including nickel, cobalt, copper, tin, bauxite, gold and silver, and iron ore. Leveraging these unique resource advantages, Indonesia holds a critical strategic position in the global mineral supply chain, and its value is especially prominent in the energy transition wave, providing strong support for the development of power batteries, renewable energy equipment, and high-end manufacturing. The next phase of downstream mineral development is not about curbing growth, but about improving development quality, clarifying development direction, strengthening regulatory management, and reinforcing the sustainability of growth. Future smelter layout must match ore supply capability, be aligned with resource conservation, and coordinate multiple factors including energy infrastructure readiness, environmental protection access standards, and domestic industry value addition. In light of these considerations, the Indonesian government is promoting an industrial logic shift from pure capacity expansion to strategic optimization of resource allocation, ensuring that mineral resources are precisely directed to industry segments that can maximize national economic benefits. Indonesia's downstream mineral industrialization has made concrete progress. Currently, 14 smelters are in operation, primarily producing products such as nickel oxide, pig iron, and copper cathode. Covering both existing operating plants and new projects under construction, the entire industry chain has attracted a total realized investment of $7.849 billion. Breakdown: nickel sector investment of $2.535 billion, aluminum sector $2.181 billion, iron ore projects $47 million, and copper sector $3.084 billion. This is continuously improving the supporting system of the domestic mineral industry chain. This progress demonstrates that Indonesia's downstream mineral policy has achieved tangible results. However, challenges remain for the industry: not only must new smelting projects be completed and commissioned on schedule, but they also require stable supporting supply to achieve efficient operations, green and low-carbon production, and deep integration into the domestic industry chain value system. Indonesia's development direction is very clear: the downstream transformation of minerals will continue to advance, and during the implementation process, policy enforcement constraints and top-level strategic guidance will be further strengthened. The RKAB management system and ore source allocation control rules are key to building a robust and more resilient industrial ecosystem. Future smelting project planning needs to coordinate four key dimensions: sustainable resource development, supply-demand market equilibrium, ESG compliance implementation, and enhancement of national value added. Indonesia has always been open to quality investment, especially high-quality investment, relying on foreign capital to achieve technology transfer and localization, expand local employment, and support long-term economic growth. In other words, Indonesia's industrial development not only pursues growth, but is committed to achieving high-quality growth that is compliant, sustainable, and globally competitive. Keynote Speech: Nickel at a Crossroads：A Five-Year Outlook on Global Nickel — Navigating Policy, Supply, and Demand Shifts Speaker: Thomas Feng, Head of Industry Research, Shanghai Metals Market Feng projects that the global primary nickel market will show a supply deficit in 2026, continue the oversupply trend in 2027, and shift to a tight balance in 2029. Regarding refined nickel prices, on the cost side, global sulfur supply and demand will face a persistent deficit in the next 2–3 years. In the case of short-term strait blockades, sulfur prices remain high, strengthening the cost support for the sulfur-MHP-refined nickel chain. From a macro perspective, the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict has triggered wild swings in energy prices, pushing up inflation expectations. In the short term, global commodity prices will face considerable fluctuations. In the long term, global geopolitical uncertainty may become the new normal in the future, increasing the volatility of refined nickel prices. Nickel Ore Upstream Repricing: Indonesia's Benchmark Price Raise, Quota Tightening, and Increased Dependence on the Philippines Indonesia Nickel Ore RKAB Quotas: Tight Balance Emerges as the 2026 Main Theme According to SMM analysis, following the Indonesian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources' (ESDM) official denial of market rumors that RKAB production quotas would be raised across the board by 25%–30%, the government will handle supplementary quotas under strict case-by-case reviews starting from H2 2026, evaluating each miner's compliance, capacity, and resource reserves. At its core, this constitutes a routine and orderly optimisation of the existing 260–270 million wmt quota cap, paving the way for a more stable and sustainable market environment. Supply RKAB Approval Progress: As of April, Indonesia's cumulative approved RKAB quotas stand at 240 million wmt. SMM expects that, under expectations of continued nickel ore supply tightening, supplementary quotas around mid-year 2026 will be approximately 15%. Philippine Import Driver: SMM expects that this year, Indonesia's nickel ore imports from the Philippines will rise from approximately 15 million in 2025 to 22 million. Tightness in the domestic trade nickel ore supply will accelerate supplementation through imports from the Philippines. Demand Affected by the tight sulfur supply, MHP output has fallen short of earlier expectations. As a result, Indonesia's nickel ore demand for full-year 2026 is expected to be reduced to 303 million wmt. In 2026, actual nickel ore production will remain constrained by factors such as the rainy season and the pace of RKAB quota approvals, leaving overall output below theoretical supply levels. Panel Discussion: Upstream Opportunities & Challenges for Nickel Mine Owners Moderator: Enzo Brooklyn, Senior Nickel Analyst, SMM Panelists: Luca Maiotti, Policy Analyst, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Aldo Namora, President Director, PT Ceria Metalindo Prima Jerome Baudelet, CEO, Eramet Indonesia Patrick Lim, Country Head, HyperStrong Indonesia Keynote Speech: Achieving Energy Efficiency and Operational Success: The MMD Approach at Mah Moe Speaker: Fuad Budidarma Pratama, General Manager, MMD Mining Machinery Indonesia Keynote Speech: Global Nickel Market Outlook Speaker: Ricardo Ferreira, Director of Market Research and Statistics, International Nickel Study Group (INSG) Ricardo Ferreira noted that global primary nickel production is estimated to have declined by approximately 4% YoY, measured across the full chain from raw ore mining to finished primary nickel products. Most of this decrease originated from Indonesia, while expectations also pointed to a pullback in Chinese nickel output. According to the monthly bulletin released earlier, global primary nickel already edged down by about 1% in Q1, with Indonesia down roughly 3% and China down about 1%. Keynote Speech: New Refining Technologies for Laterite Nickel and Spent Batteries Speaker: Dr. Chunwei Liu, Managing Director of Resource Extraction, Botree Recycling Technologies Distribution of Laterite Nickel Ore Resources Laterite nickel ore accounts for 55% of global nickel resources and is the main source of nickel for industrial production worldwide. With the continuous development and promotion of high-nickel batteries, market demand for nickel—and consequently for laterite nickel ore processing—has grown significantly. Geographic concentration: Mainly distributed in tropical countries within 30° north and south of the equator. Three core regions: Southeast Asia: Indonesia, the Philippines (major laterite nickel ore producing areas). Americas: Cuba, Brazil. Oceania: Australia, New Caledonia. Panel Discussion: Nickel Price Volatility, Product Spreads, and Policy Shifts: What Will Define the Market in the next 5 years? Moderator: Slupek Kamila, Secretary-General, INSG Panelists: Jim Lennon, Analyst, Macquarie Septian Hario Seto, Member, National Economic Council Republic of Indonesia Denis Sharypin, Strategic Marketing Director, Norilsk Nickel Edric Koh, Head of Corporate Sales, Asia, London Metal Exchange Mark Selby, CEO & Director, Canada Nickel Company Keynote Speech: Korean Battery Supply Chain Strategy and Indonesia's Role Speaker: James (IKHWAN) Choi, Country Manager, Korea Office, SMM Korea Office Keynote Speech: Retreat or Evolve? The Counter-Attack of High-Nickel Batteries under the LFP Siege: Solid State, 4680, and the "Range Anxiety" Premium Speaker: Jared Zhu, Head of Consulting, Renewable Energy & Non-ferrous Metals, Shanghai Metals Market Jared noted that LFP batteries have steadily increased their market share in power battery and energy storage markets in recent years. With the rapid development of emerging sectors such as humanoid robots, industrial robots, and electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (eVTOL), ternary batteries, leveraging their performance advantages, are more competitive than LFP batteries. Solid-state batteries are regarded by the industry as a must-win field for future competition, but it is worth noting that this new technology, capable of rewriting industry rules, still has a long development cycle before full commercialization. Positioning in the LFP Era LFP Accelerates Replacement of Ni-Co-Mn in Energy Storage and EVs, Leading in Scale and Growth SMM forecasts the global share of EV power battery types from 2026 to 2027, expecting LFP batteries to account for around 68% in 2026, with that ratio rising to about 70% in 2027. For ESS battery types, from 2022 to 2025, the share of LFP batteries in global ESS batteries continued to rise, and in 2026, it is expected to increase to around 99%. Keynote Speech: QMAG - Market Leader of Calcined Magnesia for Nickel/Cobalt MHP Production Speaker: Christoph Beyer, Managing Director of Queensland Magnesia (QMAG) Dr. Keynote Speech: Cobalt in Focus: Powering the Next Chapter of Critical Minerals Speaker: Dinah McLeod, Director General, Cobalt Institute June 5: Nickel and Cobalt Forum Keynote Speeches Keynote Speech: Balancing Risk and Reward: Investing in Indonesia's Nickel and Cobalt Value Chain Speaker: Izzie Huo, Senior Research Fellow, Shanghai Metals Market Panel Discussion: Too Much Nickel? Balancing Oversupply Risks with Long-Term Investment in Indonesia Moderator: Jean Tang, Commercial Director, Shanghai Metals Market Panelists: Ali Safdar, Managing Director & Partner, BCG (Boston Consulting Group) Arif Perdana Kusumah, Chairman, Forum Industri Nikel Indonesia (FINI) Ditya Maharhani Harninda, Senior Vice President Corporate Banking 2, PT Bank Negara Indonesia Tbk (Persero) Keynote Speech: Valve Solutions for Severe Service in HPAL Speaker: Changsong Deng, President of International Business Division, ANTIWEAR Keynote Speech: Breaking the Import Dependency: Economics and Feasibility of Pyrite-based Acid Production for Indonesia's HPAL Supply Chain Speaker: Bede Beresford Evans, President Director, PT Sumbawa Timur Mining Keynote Speech: Key Technology and Economic Analysis of AI Power Microgrid Solutions in Mining Speaker: Frank Qi, CEO, Ai Power (Suzhou) Technology Co., Ltd. Keynote Speech: Value of Analytical Solutions in Mining Processes Speaker: Toh Tiong Yen, Sales Manager, Malvern Panalytical Keynote Speech: New Caledonia's Nickel Landscape Speaker: Gabriel Bensimon, Special Advisor to the President of the Government on Nickel and Mining-Related Matters, The Government of New Caledonia Keynote Speech: Global Flow of Nickel from Mining to End-Use Speaker: Dr. Steukers Veronique, President, Nickel Institute Primary nickel production is now dominated by Indonesia. In 2025, Indonesia produced around 50% of the world's primary nickel, compared to just 6% a decade earlier. Primary nickel production in the rest of the world declined. In 2025, primary nickel production in the rest of the world, excluding Indonesia and China, accounted for just over 20% of the global total, down from 65% a decade earlier. Indonesia and China are the core driving forces shaping the global nickel supply chain landscape. From the perspective of nickel product circulation structure, NPI, backed by Indonesia's capacity advantage, firmly dominates the circulation mainstream; in terms of global nickel raw material supply by grade, Class 2 nickel accounts for approximately 58%, Class 1 nickel for just under 30%, and nickel chemical products for the remaining around 13%. Panel Discussion: Meet the Future of ESG: Standard, Challenges and Opportunities in Mining and Processing Moderator: Katz Benjamin, Policy Analyst, OECD Panelists: Dr. Chris Schlekat, Executive Director of NIPERA, Nickel Institute Ning Wang, Manager, Sustainable Development Department, China Chamber of Commerce of Metals, Minerals & Chemicals Importers & Exporters Yumo Li, Head of ESG Office in Tsingshan Board, Tsingshan Holding Group Vinícius Mendes Ferreira, Executive Advisor for Nickel Downstreaming, PT Vale Indonesia Fan Li, Sustainability and ESG Services Manager, dss+ Tom Fairlie, Senior Sustainability Manager, Cobalt Institute

SMM Analysis: Since Q4 2025, end-use demand in the copper foil industry has fully erupted, the industry has shown high prosperity, and processing fees for various specifications of copper foil have been steadily rising...