Data shows that in 2021, China's new energy vehicle sales completed 3.521 million units, an increase of 1.6 times year-on-year, ranking first in the world for seven consecutive years. With the rapid growth of China's new energy vehicle ownership, the amount of power battery "decommissioning" is also increasing year by year.

 "Doing a good job of power battery recycling is important to protect the ecological environment, improve the efficiency of resource utilization and guarantee the healthy and sustainable development of the new energy vehicle industry." On January 12, at a press conference on the development of the automobile industry in 2021 held by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Wang Weiming, director of the first department of the equipment industry of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, said that in recent years, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, together with relevant departments, has issued and implemented a series of policies and supporting measures to strengthen the full life-cycle traceability management of power batteries. At the same time, 17 regions such as Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei carried out pilot power battery recycling, deepened cross-regional cooperation and industry chain synergy, promoted the application of advanced technology and equipment such as flexible dismantling of retired batteries, and formulated and released a number of national, industry and group standards.

 According to statistics, by the end of December 2021, 173 relevant enterprises had set up 10,127 recycling service outlets in 31 provinces and municipalities across the country, 45 backbone enterprises cultivated for laddering and recycling were actively playing a demonstration and leading role, and a power battery recycling system was initially established.

Wang Weiming pointed out that, in the next step, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will earnestly implement the "New Energy Vehicle Industry Development Plan (2021-2035)" and work with relevant departments to promote the following four areas of work.

First, to speed up the research and development of "new energy vehicle power battery recycling management methods", to further clarify the specific responsibilities of the state and local departments concerned, refine the regulatory requirements of various aspects of power battery recycling, and increase regulatory constraints.

The second is to study the establishment of a linkage mechanism for power battery recycling and utilization control, strengthen online and offline collaborative traceability supervision and management, compact the main responsibilities and improve regulatory efficiency.

Third, accelerate the introduction of a number of national and industry standards for the recycling of power batteries, and improve the implementation of the standards. Strengthen the research and application of key technologies such as efficient recycling, and enhance the technical level of the industry.

 Fourth, carry out pilot acceptance of power battery recycling, select and promote a number of typical models and enterprise case experiences. Continuously implement the standardized management of the comprehensive utilization industry of used power batteries, and establish a number of benchmark enterprises for gradient and recycling utilization.

Source: People's Daily Online