Original Title: Notice from the Department of Science and Technology of Shandong Province, the Development and Reform Commission of Shandong Province, the Department of Industry and Information Technology of Shandong Province, the Department of Finance of Shandong Province, the Department of Natural Resources of Shandong Province, the Department of Ecology and Environment of Shandong Province, the Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of Shandong Province, the Department of Transportation of Shandong Province, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Shandong Province, and the Energy Bureau of Shandong Province on Issuing the "Work Plan for Science and Technology Support for Carbon Peaking in Shandong Province"
To implement the major strategic decisions and plans of the Party Central Committee and the State Council regarding carbon peaking and carbon neutrality,and to provide strong, orderly, and effective scientific and technological support for our province’s carbon peaking and carbon neutrality efforts, this work plan is formulated in accordance with the “Opinions of the State Council on Supporting Shandong in Deepening the Transformation of New and Old Growth Drivers and Promoting Green, Low-Carbon, and High-Quality Development,” the “Implementation Plan for Scientific and Technological Innovation in Ecological Protection and High-Quality Development of the Yellow River Basin,” as well as the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government’s “Several Measures for Implementing the ‘Opinions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council on Fully, Accurately, and Comprehensively Implementing the New Development Philosophy and Effectively Carrying Out Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality Work’” and the “Shandong Province Carbon Peaking Implementation Plan.”
I. Guiding Principles
Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we will thoroughly implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, fully, accurately, and comprehensively implement the new development philosophy, actively and steadily advance carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, and fully implement the strategic deployment for ecological protection and high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin. With deepening the transformation of old and new growth drivers as the central task and using scientific and technological innovation to drive green and low-carbon transformation as the main thread, we will give full play to the institutional advantages of the new national system, enhance the overall effectiveness of the innovation system, significantly improve the innovation capacity for key green and low-carbon technologies, promote demonstration applications in regional industrial clusters,accelerate the achievement of high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology, pool resources to tackle original and leading-edge scientific and technological challenges, explore and establish a modern development path for Shandong Province that prioritizes ecology and green development, provide solid support for building a pilot zone for green, low-carbon, and high-quality development, and offer innovative support to ensure the province achieves carbon peaking by 2030.
II. Basic Principles
Adhere to top-level design and promote systematic, coordinated advancement. Leverage the guiding role of scientific and technological innovation in planning, adopt a forward-looking approach and scientific planning, and ensure the integrated development of scientific and technological innovation with the province’s top ten industries. Promote the construction of a technological innovation system in a coordinated manner by sector, phase, and step, build a province-wide innovation ecosystem, and comprehensively drive the green upgrading of industries.
We will focus on key breakthroughs to drive industrial development. Aligning with major national strategic needs and our province’s carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals, we will adopt a goal- and problem-oriented approach. Addressing critical technological demands in sectors such as energy, industry, construction, transportation, agriculture, and environmental protection, we will strengthen original innovation to achieve breakthroughs in technology and applications. By leveraging technology transfer and industrialization to drive the engineering implementation of the technological innovation system, we will strive to enhance industrial technological innovation capabilities.
Adhere to institutional reform and strengthen collaborative innovation. We will improve mechanisms for collaborative innovation, including industry-academia-research collaboration, interdepartmental coordination, and regional cooperation, and promote the establishment of collaborative innovation platforms among enterprises, universities, research institutes, and social organizations. We will deepen the development of the science and technology innovation service system, promote the organic integration of green transformation with economic development, technological progress, and industrial succession, and establish a seamless pathway from technological innovation to industrialization.
Adhere to a market-oriented approach and accelerate dual-engine growth. Strengthen the integrated innovation of technological and market factors, leveraging the guiding role of the government, the market-oriented role, and the leading role of enterprises. Establish a market-oriented green technology innovation system and improve the development of the technological factor market system.
III. Main Objectives
By 2025, the province’s capacity for green and low-carbon technological innovation will be further enhanced. A number of key core technologies that currently act as “bottlenecks” in green and low-carbon development will be breakthrough, and the transformation and application of major scientific and technological achievements—which yield results in the short to medium term and effectively drive the optimization and upgrading of industrial structures—will be promoted. The core competitiveness of green industries will be significantly enhanced.A market-oriented green technology innovation system will begin to bear fruit; green and low-carbon science and technology-driven innovation and entrepreneurship will flourish; approximately 1,000 high-tech enterprises in the green and low-carbon sector will be cultivated and strengthened; and 5–8 green technology industrial clusters with large-scale industries, strong innovation capabilities, and complete industrial chains will be established;The professional talent pool will expand, with 3–5 national-level “high-end, specialized, and scarce” innovative talents and teams introduced, and 8–10 talent teams focused on major core and key technologies prioritized for cultivation; the capacity to support the construction of a green, low-carbon, and circular economic system will be significantly enhanced.
By 2030, the province’s green technology innovation system will be continuously refined, with new technologies, industries, business models, and formats becoming the primary drivers of economic development. A series of scientific and technological achievements will be generated to support significant optimization of the energy and industrial structures, substantially enhancing independent technological innovation capabilities in the green and low-carbon sectors, and laying a solid foundation for R&D to achieve the carbon neutrality goal by 2060.
IV. Key Tasks
(I) Implementing the Basic and Frontier Innovation Initiative
1. Accelerate breakthroughs in cutting-edge carbon neutrality technologies. Addressing the major strategic needs of our province’s carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals, we will focus on new energy sources, new power systems,energy storage, and carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS). We will conduct in-depth research on cutting-edge technologies such as ultra-high-efficiency photovoltaics, new nuclear power generation, multi-modal power conversion, artificial photosynthesis, new green hydrogen energy, direct air capture, bioenergy and carbon capture and storage, and solar radiation management. We will accelerate the deep integration of these technologies with advanced information technologies to foster new growth momentum.
(2) Implement the Core Technology Innovation Initiative
2. Strengthen scientific and technological innovation support for new energy. Prioritize breakthroughs in key core technologies such as the clean and efficient utilization of fossil fuels, the large-scale utilization of renewable energy, hydrogen production, storage, transportation, and utilization, the comprehensive utilization of nuclear energy, and the smart coordination of “generation-grid-load-storage” in new power grids. Promote sustained increases in R&D investment across the province in clean energy sectors including solar, wind, hydrogen, nuclear, biomass, and ocean energy, and accelerate the commercialization and promotion of research outcomes.Strengthen the efficient utilization of resources and promote the large-scale, intensive development of the integrated wind-solar-storage-transmission base in the saline-alkali tidal flats of Northern Shandong and the “PV+” base in the coal mining subsidence areas of Southwestern Shandong. Overcome technical bottlenecks in the large-scale utilization of offshore wind power, innovatively advance the construction of 10-gigawatt-class offshore wind power bases, and explore pilot demonstrations for the integrated development of offshore wind power and marine aquaculture. Research and develop key technologies for the comprehensive utilization of nuclear energy, such as nuclear heating and seawater desalination, and explore research into small modular reactor (SMR) heating technologies.Actively promote the research and development of integrated source-grid-load-storage technologies to significantly enhance innovation capabilities in renewable energy grid integration. Break through key manufacturing technologies for clean energy equipment and components, including high-power offshore wind power, high-efficiency photovoltaic power generation, and advanced nuclear power.
3. Advance the green and low-carbon transformation of key industries. Focusing on Shandong Province’s “high-energy-consumption and high-emission” industries—including steel, independent refineries, electrolytic aluminum, coking, tires, fertilizers, chlor-alkali, and cement—accelerate breakthroughs in key technologies for pollution reduction and carbon emission reduction, and achieve smart upgrades of existing systems based on 5G and digital twins.Research key technologies and equipment for the redesign of low-carbon and zero-carbon industrial processes in key sectors. By developing key technologies such as fuel substitution, raw material substitution, and short-process technologies, achieve a comprehensive green and low-carbon transformation of industrial processes from source to process to end-of-pipe.
4. Accelerate research and development in key low-carbon and zero-carbon fields.Conduct green and low-carbon technological research and development in key sectors such as construction, transportation, agriculture, and the circular economy. Promote technological innovation in green buildings, green construction, smart construction, and new forms of building industrialization, and accelerate the R&D of key technologies including building energy conservation and carbon reduction, green building materials, the application of renewable energy in buildings, and photovoltaic-storage-direct-flexible systems and building electrification. Conduct research on key technologies for new energy vehicle batteries and charging infrastructure, promote the digitization and intelligentization of transportation systems, and actively carry out R&D on the construction of green and smart highways and green and smart ports.Accelerate the research, development, and application of green and low-carbon agricultural technologies. Promote scientific research and development in the creation of green agricultural inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides, feed, and seeds; green and low-carbon planting and breeding techniques; pollution prevention and control technologies; and low-carbon recycling technologies for livestock and poultry manure. Accelerate the research, development, and demonstration of technologies in areas such as the comprehensive utilization of bulk solid waste (e.g., red mud), the treatment and disposal of medical waste, the sorting and resource recovery of household and construction waste, and the effective disposal of plastic pollution.
5. Enhance innovation capabilities in negative-carbon technologies. Proactively deploy negative-emission technologies and carbon sequestration technologies for green and blue carbon; accelerate the development of key CCUS technologies; promote CCUS demonstrations in the chemical industry; explore CCUS technical pathways for industries such as steel and cement; conduct R&D on low-cost carbon sequestration technologies for oil and natural gas fields; and expand the application scenarios of carbon dioxide in industrial, agricultural, and civilian sectors.Develop technologies to enhance ecological carbon sinks based on forests, grasslands, farmland, and wetlands, and conduct research on marine blue carbon technologies represented by seagrass beds and salt marshes.
(3) Implement the Innovation Platform Leadership Initiative
6. Promote the construction of major science and technology innovation platforms. Accelerate the development of platforms such as National Technology Innovation Centers andShandong Provincial Laboratories, and other platforms. In accordance with the requirements of “gathering talent, achievements, and platforms,” attract top-tier talent and leading enterprises in green and low-carbon fields—including new energy, low-carbon and carbon-neutral technologies, negative carbon, and carbon sinks—to focus on overcoming cutting-edge and common key technologies for the industrialization of green and low-carbon technologies. Optimize and enhance the capabilities of provincial-level technology innovation centers, innovation and entrepreneurship communities, and key laboratories in fields such as clean energy, clean production, and energy conservation and environmental protection, thereby building green and low-carbon technology industrial clusters and hubs of technological innovation.
7. Accelerate the establishment of the Shandong Green Technology Financing Cooperation Center (formerly the Green Technology Bank). Provide comprehensive “technology commercialization + financial capital” services to the market and build a regional green technology trading market. Focusing on effectively utilizing “green loans” and establishing an international “green technology” platform, we will aggregate domestic and international green innovation resources, leverage financial capital to drive the transfer and commercialization of green technologies, and achieve the integrated development of green technologies and financial capital.Establish a high-level Expert Advisory Committee to create a diversified, integrated, and open platform that aggregates green technology information, features a comprehensive evaluation system, facilitates the transfer and commercialization of green technology achievements, and operates on a market-oriented basis.
(IV) Implement the Low-Carbon Talent Recruitment and Cultivation Initiative
8. Actively recruit green and low-carbon innovation talent. Focusing on the green and low-carbon sectors, we will innovate recruitment methods and attract domestic and international talent teams through multiple channels and models. We will intensify efforts to attract green and low-carbon innovation talent from home and abroad to start businesses in Shandong, and recruit 3–5 national-level “high-end, specialized, and scarce” innovative talent teams. We will optimize and upgrade the “Double Hundred Plan” for foreign experts and launch the Overseas Engineer Support Program; by 2025, we aim to recruit 15 top foreign expert teams in the green and low-carbon sectors from abroad.
9. Accelerate the cultivation of local low-carbon technology talent teams. Leveraging talent programs such as the Taishan and Qilu initiatives, we will intensify efforts to cultivate scientific and technological innovation talent in the green and low-carbon sectors within the province. We will accelerate the advancement of local talent toward national talent programs, with a focus on cultivating 5–10 talent teams specializing in major core and key technologies.We will continue to deepen training for technology-oriented entrepreneurs, enhance their awareness and capabilities regarding transformation and upgrading, and foster a cohort of green and low-carbon technology entrepreneurs with an international perspective and expertise in modern management. We will encourage enterprises to provide incentives to outstanding contributors through diverse forms and channels, and promote collaboration between enterprises and high-level talent.
(5) Implement the Innovative Enterprise Cultivation Initiative
10. Expand the ranks of green and low-carbon technology innovation enterprises. To promote the application and dissemination of green and low-carbon innovative technologies, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in leading the implementation of technological innovation projects, accelerate the commercialization of green and low-carbon scientific and technological achievements, and encourage universities and research institutes to collaborate extensively with SMEs to enhance corporate technological innovation capabilities. Select a group of leading enterprises in green and low-carbon technology innovation and promote leading enterprises to drive industrial development.
(VI) Implement the Innovation Demonstration and Promotion Initiative
11. Implement major innovation projects for low-carbon and zero-carbon technologies. For key carbon emission sectors, deploy major science and technology innovation projects in batches to foster collaboration between leading enterprises and provincial research institutions, driving breakthroughs in core technologies and their application demonstrations. Focusing on major needs in the carbon peaking and carbon neutrality sectors, organize and implement the “Shandong Province Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality Special Project” science and technology demonstration initiative to promote major integrated innovations and drive a comprehensive leap in regional and sectoral innovation capabilities.
12. Carry out demonstration and promotion of hydrogen production and utilization.Accelerate the implementation of the “Hydrogen into Every Home” science and technology demonstration project. Conduct engineering demonstrations of hydrogen production and utilization technologies, including the purification of industrial by-product hydrogen, hydrogen production from renewable energy, and hydrogen storage and transportation. Prioritize breakthroughs in core fuel cell technologies and infrastructure bottlenecks for hydrogen refueling stations. Explore new models for the efficient and safe utilization of hydrogen across various scenarios, and promote the development of a comprehensive hydrogen technology system covering the entire industrial chain—from hydrogen production, storage (and transportation), transmission, refueling, to consumption.
13. Promote the commercialization of green and low-carbon technological achievements. Publish a catalog of green and low-carbon technological achievements, improve the full-chain mechanism for the transfer and commercialization of such technologies, support enterprises, universities, and research institutions in establishing green and low-carbon technology transfer service agencies, strengthen the integration and demonstration of advanced technologies, and accelerate the transfer and commercialization of advanced domestic and international scientific and technological achievements by leveraging the development of provincial-level and higher intermediary service agencies.
14. Promote demonstration projects for the optimized development of coupled and integrated technologies. Focus on key technologies such as the low-carbon and carbon-neutral transformation of the energy system, the green and low-carbon development of industrial products, and near-zero emissions in key consumption sectors. Promote the integration and coupling of different technological units to unlock emission reduction potential. Use science and technology to drive the reduction of greenhouse gases and pollutants, and facilitate the full-chain low-carbon/decarbonization and green transformation of all sectors of the economy and society.Conduct research on the application of information technologies—such as big data, cloud computing, web scraping, blockchain, and digital twins—in scenarios including carbon emission source identification, carbon emission data analysis, carbon emission monitoring, and carbon emission forecasting and early warning, to enhance digital carbon reduction capabilities.
(7) Implement the Regional Innovation Development Initiative
15. Build the National Sustainable Development Agenda Innovation Demonstration Zone to high standards. Centered on the theme of “Innovation Leading Rural Sustainable Development,” accelerate the construction of the Zaozhuang National Sustainable Development Agenda Innovation Demonstration Zone. Through innovation-driven development and systematic innovation practices, address the bottlenecks constraining Zaozhuang’s sustainable development and explore a sustainable development path centered on rural revitalization and led by innovation.comprehensively elevate the level of integrated urban-rural development in our province, strengthen the effective protection and sustainable use of urban and rural ecological environments, and promote the deep integration of scientific and technological innovation with social development, as well as ecological civilization with the regional economy. We will build a demonstration zone for transformative development, a pioneer zone for urban-rural integration, and a model zone for beautiful villages, thereby providing the “Zaozhuang experience” for global rural sustainable development.
16. Establish a regional demonstration model for the “Hydrogen Power Corridor.” Focusing on fostering and expanding the “Shandong Hydrogen Economy Belt” and building the Shandong Peninsula “Hydrogen Power Corridor,” we will accelerate research into cutting-edge hydrogen energy technologies, concentrate efforts on developing integrated technologies for large-scale hydrogen production, storage, transportation, and application, and establish a national demonstration base for 10,000 sets of comprehensive hydrogen energy supply systems.
17. Build a hub for scientific and technological innovation in nuclear energy development. Focusing on nuclear power project construction, we will conduct research and development in seven key areas: nuclear-grade materials and core equipment, nuclear power operation and data management, comprehensive utilization of nuclear energy, nuclear safety and radiation protection, environmental protection and treatment of solid, liquid, and gaseous waste, application of nuclear technology and product R&D, and small modular reactors (SMRs) and integrated supply of clean energy at sea.Promote technological innovation in the nuclear power industry, as well as demonstration projects for engineering and industrialization, to build a hub for technological innovation in the nuclear power industry that is rooted in Shandong, serves the entire country, and extends globally.
18. Jointly build a platform for scientific and technological innovation cooperation and development in the Yellow River Basin.Focusing on industries such as green agriculture, manufacturing, and energy, we will deepen cooperation with provinces and regions along the Yellow River to promote the establishment of a science and technology innovation chain characterized by complementary resource advantages and coordinated industrial support, thereby creating a collaborative innovation community in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River. We will jointly undertake major scientific and technological research projects in the Yellow River Basin, fully leverage our province’s leading role in ecological protection and high-quality development within the basin, facilitate the exhibition, trading, and transformation of scientific and technological achievements, and promote the integrated development of technology transfer services.
(VIII) Implement the Innovation Strategy Research Initiative
19. Study pathways for scientific and technological innovation toward carbon peaking and carbon neutrality. In line with Shandong Province’s overall deployment for carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, conduct top-level design and strategic research on scientific and technological innovation for these goals, compile a roadmap for carbon neutrality technology development in Shandong Province, and increase the number of green and low-carbon research topics in the provincial key R&D program (soft science) projects to provide intellectual support for carbon peaking and carbon neutrality.
20. Establish and Improve the Low-Carbon Circular Economy Institutional Framework. Systematically catalog the province’s green and low-carbon technologies; support research on the provincial institutional framework for greenhouse gas statistics, accounting, monitoring, and reporting; and encourage research on policy pathways for carbon emission monitoring, statistics, and accounting in key enterprises. Promote baseline surveys, carbon stock assessments, and potential studies of carbon sinks such as forests, wetlands, oceans, and soil.Support the development of a regulatory and standards framework for carbon peaking and carbon neutrality; encourage leading enterprises and R&D institutions to actively participate in the formulation of relevant national standards; and establish local greenhouse gas emission standards.
(9) Implement the Low-Carbon Open Cooperation Initiative
21. Promote the integration of domestic and international innovation resources.Coordinate domestic and international contexts, encourage and support provincial innovation entities to fully utilize domestic and international innovation resources, and deeply integrate with the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the integration of the Yangtze River Delta region, and the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Strengthen joint research and technical exchanges with countries along the Belt and Road, as well as developed nations in Europe, the United States, Japan, and South Korea, in the areas of renewable energy, energy storage, hydrogen energy, CCUS, and other green and low-carbon sectors to effectively resolve technical challenges in our province’s green and low-carbon fields.Leveraging Shandong’s abundant energy resources and industrial foundation, we will focus on institutions such as the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Engineering, “Double First-Class” universities, and renowned research institutes to facilitate the implementation of major technological achievements in Shandong and attract the transfer and commercialization of outstanding research outcomes within the province.
(10) Implement a Green and Low-Carbon Action for All
22. Launch a public science popularization campaign on carbon neutrality. Incorporate carbon peaking and carbon neutrality as key areas into the provincial science popularization plan, establish a routine science popularization system guided by the government and involving the whole of society, and enhance the development of science popularization bases. Actively expand publicity channels, innovate the formats of science popularization products, raise public awareness of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, and foster a simple, moderate, green, and low-carbon lifestyle. Improve the scientific literacy of leading officials and enhance the level of scientific management and decision-making in the field of carbon neutrality.
V. Support Measures
(1) Strengthen Organizational Coordination. Under the unified leadership of the Provincial Party Committee’s Science and Technology Innovation Committee, the Provincial Department of Science and Technology, in conjunction with relevant provincial departments, will improve and strengthen the leadership and collaborative operational mechanisms for green and low-carbon innovative development. It will coordinate and implement central government initiatives, establish a comprehensive ledger for green and low-carbon innovative development, coordinate the work of governments at all levels, ensure unified leadership, clarify the division of responsibilities, and strengthen supervision and implementation.
(2) Improve Policy Guidance. Accelerate the formulation of industrial, fiscal, and tax policies, as well as technology promotion policies, to drive low-carbon development through technological innovation. Promote the integrated allocation of projects, bases, talent, and funds in key sectors to play a leading and exemplary role in national low-carbon development.Strengthen the synergy between innovation policies and financial market instruments. Integrate efforts with national carbon market development, green technology trading, and the construction of a green financial system to achieve coordinated advancement of carbon emission reduction trading and the application of green emission reduction technologies through sound mechanisms, and encourage the development of energy-saving and low-carbon innovative enterprises through market-based measures.
(3) Strengthen Monitoring and Evaluation. Establish a provincial expert committee to guide the science and technology innovation strategy for carbon peaking and carbon neutrality. This committee will track and evaluate domestic and international trends in green and low-carbon technology development, providing consultation and recommendations for the implementation of the province’s action plan. Establish and improve a comprehensive green development index system, a standardized green financial product system, a green technology standardization system, and a green technology evaluation system to refine the province’s comprehensive evaluation mechanism for carbon peaking and carbon neutrality.
(4) Foster an Innovative Environment. Leverage the guiding role of fiscal policies to promote the “green threshold” system, which incentivizes enterprises to pursue green and low-carbon development, and strengthen the protection of intellectual property rights for low-carbon, zero-carbon, and negative-carbon technologies. Deepen the reform of “targeted awards” in science and technology awards and increase the intensity of rewards and incentives. Foster green and low-carbon lifestyles and social norms, increase effective demand across society for low-carbon, zero-carbon, and negative-carbon products and services, and actively cultivate markets for such products and services.
