Four Departments: Achieve breakthroughs in energy-saving equipment, key materials, and components by 2028

Securities Times Reporter Han Zhongnan

Recently, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, and the National Energy Administration jointly issued the “Implementation Plan for High-Quality Development of Energy-saving Equipment (2026–2028)” (hereinafter referred to as the “Implementation Plan”). It proposes that by 2028, breakthroughs will be made in key materials and components for energy-saving equipment, the energy system matching and operational efficiency in key industries will continue to improve, and the energy efficiency levels of energy-saving equipment such as motors and transformers will reach international leading levels. The market share of energy-saving equipment will further increase. On March 20, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology held a press conference to interpret the details of the “Implementation Plan.”

Energy-saving equipment refers to products and devices designed and manufactured with advanced technology in all stages of energy production and use, capable of improving energy utilization efficiency and reducing energy consumption and losses. Wang Peng, Director of the Department of Energy Conservation and Comprehensive Utilization of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, stated, “The 14th Five-Year Plan is a critical period for the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development, as well as a key stage for achieving carbon peak goals.” The release of the “Implementation Plan” aims to continuously improve the energy efficiency of widely applicable, high-energy-consuming, and promising energy-saving equipment, and to strengthen the supply and application of such equipment.

The “Implementation Plan” focuses on six categories of energy-saving equipment: energy-efficient motors, transformers, industrial heat pumps, industrial refrigeration (heating) equipment, water electrolysis hydrogen production equipment, and information communication devices. It proposes a development path aimed at promoting energy conservation and carbon reduction in key industry sectors.

Wang Peng said that the “Implementation Plan” reflects three prominent features in its specific deployment. First, emphasizing technological innovation—building on improving overall machine efficiency, it delves inward to achieve independent breakthroughs in basic materials and core components, extends forward to upgrade green manufacturing processes, and expands backward to optimize equipment operation. Second, emphasizing system coordination—addressing issues like “small car pulling a big cart” and low system operational efficiency by making “strengthening system coupling and matching” a key task. Third, emphasizing digital intelligence empowerment—focusing on the application of new-generation information technologies such as artificial intelligence in the field of energy-saving equipment, and proposing tasks like constructing large models for energy-saving and carbon reduction in equipment and developing efficient, intelligent energy-saving devices.

Regarding the promotion of the “Implementation Plan,” Li Tai, Deputy Director of the Resource Conservation and Environmental Protection Department of the National Development and Reform Commission, stated that the NDRC will deepen the promotion of energy-using equipment upgrades through improving policy and standard systems, carrying out special actions, and leveraging government investment. Moving forward, the focus will be on promoting energy-saving and carbon reduction upgrades in key industries such as steel, electrolytic aluminum, cement, and flat glass, which have high energy consumption and carbon emissions, with phased efforts across industries. Additionally, standards will be strengthened to guide development, various funding channels will be coordinated to support energy-saving and carbon reduction projects, and full-process supervision and services will be ensured.

As industry leaders, central enterprises play an important role in promoting the update and transformation of energy-saving equipment. Zhang Xiaosong, Deputy Director of the Social Responsibility Bureau of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, revealed that the SASAC has incorporated equipment renewal into the performance evaluation of central enterprise leaders and the green development assessment system. By 2025, related investments by central enterprises are expected to reach 1 trillion yuan, with significant results. Next, the SASAC will focus on benchmarking and improving standards, accelerating stock iteration, strengthening green procurement to stimulate market vitality, and enhancing assessment and evaluation to solidify main responsibilities, guiding central enterprises to set an example and achieve tangible results.