First appeared in
Asian Development Bank
50 climate solutions from cities in the People's Republic of China
In Guangzhou, the Zhuangyuangu Low-Carbon Industrial Park is offering companies in the booming e-commerce sector sustainable warehouse and operations facilities that do not cost the earth.
E-commerce in the PRC, worth over CNY5 trillion in 2016, is growing at double the rate of the retail market. As many e-commerce companies look for low-carbon facilities to maximize the sustainability of their operations, the 25 ha premises at Zhuangyuangu Low-Carbon Industrial Park offers a green hub of operations. With big clients including Amazon already on board, the project is employing a holistic approach around the principle of ‘smart, low-carbon, and informatization’ with a strong focus on better resource use and waste management.
30K
METRIC TONS OF CO2 EMISSIONS ARE BEING REDUCED ANNUALLY.
Through the utilization of low-carbon technologies, such as intelligent power generation units, light-emitting diode (LED) lighting, and smart cooling systems, the park is achieving electricity savings of 4,000 MWh annually. To complement this approach, PV panels have been installed on rooftops with the capability of generating 2,250 MWh of renewable solar energy each year, reducing demand from the predominantly coal-based electricity grid. The facility’s owners have also taken the chance to educate employees on the park’s low-carbon technology, empowering them to take home more sustainable lifestyle choices.
The industrial park has installed 2.3 MWh of solar PV on its spacious roof (photo by Jieshi Zhang).
The Challenge
Guangzhou’s fast-growing economy has led to the development of many
industrial parks with low environmental standards, with high energy intensity attached to the city’s economic growth. By focusing on e-commerce and the mutual development of economy, environmental protection, and social welfare, this industrial park is showing a new way forward.
Co-Benefits
Economic The park’s innovative design saves 60,000 metric tons of water and 4,000 MWh of electricity each year, reducing operating costs by approximately CNY 6.55 million.
Environment The park produces very little waste, and reduces energy consumption, bringing down demand for electricity from local coal-fi red power stations, and therefore improving air quality and reducing CO2 emissions.
Social As well as providing 4,000 local jobs, the industrial park is actively
improving employees’ awareness of low-carbon development.