Public Consultation on Carbon Footprint Accounting Standards for Five Products Including Flat Glass and Electric Vehicles
On March 30, 2025, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment announced an open consultation regarding carbon footprint accounting standards for five products: flat glass, general silicate cement, photovoltaic modules, lightweight electric vehicles, and power batteries. This initiative aims to expedite the development of carbon footprint accounting standards for key products and further enhance the national ecological and environmental standard system.
In 2022, a plan was issued by the National Development and Reform Commission, the National Bureau of Statistics, and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment to accelerate the establishment of a unified carbon emission statistical accounting system. The plan called for the research and formulation of carbon emission accounting methods for raw materials, semi-finished products, and finished products in key industries, focusing initially on sectors such as electricity, steel, electrolytic aluminum, cement, lime, flat glass, refining, ethylene, synthetic ammonia, calcium carbide, methanol, and modern coal chemical industries, with gradual expansion to other industries and services.
The implementation plan emphasized the need to develop applicable and mature accounting methods into national standards to guide enterprises and third-party organizations in conducting product carbon emissions accounting. By 2024, a framework for establishing a carbon footprint management system was proposed, targeting the issuance of approximately 100 carbon footprint accounting standards for key products by 2027. This includes the preliminary establishment of a carbon footprint factor database, with a goal of developing around 200 standards by 2030, covering a wide range of products with high data quality and international influence.
According to the compilation explanation for the Greenhouse Gas Product Carbon Footprint Quantification Method and Requirements for Flat Glass (Draft for Consultation), accurately calculating the carbon footprint of glass, a widely used material, is crucial for promoting the green transformation of the glass industry and formulating emission reduction policies. Research on the carbon footprint of flat glass can help enterprises gain a comprehensive understanding of greenhouse gas emissions throughout the product lifecycle, identify high energy consumption and carbon emission production stages, and propose improvement measures. This will assist companies in scientifically identifying high-carbon segments of the supply chain and exploring emission reduction opportunities at various lifecycle stages, thereby achieving energy savings, cost reductions, and enhancing the green and low-carbon development of the flat glass industry.
Since 2015, the production of flat glass in China has shown a rising trend. Except for a 4.6% decline in 2023 due to factors such as the national economic environment, production has consistently increased in other years. According to statistics from the China Architectural Glass and Industrial Glass Association, in 2023, China’s flat glass production reached 970 million weight cases, maintaining its position as the largest producer in the world for 22 consecutive years. There were 172 flat glass manufacturers and 251 production lines in China in 2023. The compilation group noted that the primary energy source for flat glass enterprises is natural gas, followed by the use of fuel oil, coal, coke, petroleum coke, industrial waste, and other fuels. Carbon emissions from flat glass production primarily stem from the combustion of fossil fuels, carbon oxidation during the calcination of raw materials, and carbon dioxide emissions from purchased electricity during processes such as raw material preparation, melting, forming, annealing, cutting, and packaging.
As per the China Architectural Glass and Industrial Glass Association, the carbon emissions of the flat glass industry in China were approximately 43 million tons in 2021. With the rapid growth of photovoltaic glass production in recent years, carbon emissions from the flat glass industry are estimated to be between 65 million and 68 million tons in 2023.
Photovoltaics, one of the most mature renewable energy technologies, have seen explosive growth in installed capacity globally in recent years. According to data from the National Energy Administration, China’s newly installed photovoltaic capacity increased from 0.61 GW in 2010 to 277.57 GW in 2024, making it the global leader in new installations for that year. Currently, China’s photovoltaic module production has formed a complete industrial chain involving raw silicon, silicon rods, silicon wafers, cells, and modules, all of which require energy input and are associated with pollutant emissions. The compilation group for the Greenhouse Gas Product Carbon Footprint Quantification Method and Requirements for Photovoltaic Modules (Draft for Consultation) stated that when accounting for the carbon footprint of photovoltaic modules, it is necessary to consider the entire industrial chain, including raw silicon, silicon rods, silicon wafers, cells, and modules.
In recent years, sales of electric vehicles in China have surged. In 2023, sales of new energy vehicles reached 9.495 million units, accounting for 64.8% of global sales. Furthermore, electric vehicle exports continue to expand. While China retains its position as the world’s largest electric vehicle market, the international competitiveness of domestic automotive products is steadily increasing. In 2023, the export volume of automobiles reached 4.91 million units, representing a year-on-year increase of 58%. According to the compilation group for the Greenhouse Gas Product Carbon Footprint Quantification Method and Requirements for Lightweight Electric Vehicles (Draft for Consultation), the carbon emissions from electric vehicle manufacturing have been rising. On a per vehicle basis, the carbon emissions from the manufacturing of electric vehicles, from “cradle” to “gate,” amount to approximately 13 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, with power battery emissions representing about 40% of this total. This high level of emissions from battery manufacturing results in electric vehicle manufacturing carbon emissions being significantly higher than those of traditional fuel vehicles. Over the entire lifecycle of an electric vehicle, manufacturing carbon emissions account for around 40%, with a significant portion attributed to raw material acquisition and component production stages.
According to a report titled Research on Achieving Carbon Peak and Carbon Neutrality Goals through Synergy in Automotive, Transportation, and Energy, the total greenhouse gas emissions from the automotive industry throughout its lifecycle are estimated at approximately 1.3 billion tons in 2023, with manufacturing accounting for about 15%. However, as the penetration rate of electric vehicles increases, the carbon emissions from vehicle manufacturing are expected to rise significantly. By 2030 and 2050, the share of manufacturing carbon emissions in the automotive industry is projected to increase to 27% and 50%, respectively. In this context, the importance of accounting for the full lifecycle carbon emissions of vehicles, particularly electric vehicles, is increasingly highlighted. Power batteries also contribute significantly to the overall carbon footprint of electric vehicles, making them a key focus for carbon management in new energy vehicles. Data from the China Automotive Power Battery Industry Innovation Alliance indicates that in 2023, the cumulative production of power batteries in China reached 778.1 GWh, resulting in approximately 64.97 million tons of carbon emissions. For vehicles equipped with power batteries that provide a range exceeding 500 km, carbon emissions from the batteries accounted for over 40% of total vehicle manufacturing emissions, positioning them as a crucial area for carbon management in new energy vehicles.
The compilation group for the Greenhouse Gas Product Carbon Footprint Quantification Method and Requirements for Power Batteries (Draft for Consultation) stated that in the current global context advocating for a transition to green energy, the power battery industry, as a core support for the new energy sector, requires robust support from carbon footprint standards for its high-quality development. Carbon footprint standards help enterprises identify high-carbon emission stages in their production processes, enabling targeted investments in research and development, promoting technological innovation, and facilitating industrial upgrades. This leads to greener and more efficient production processes, effectively reducing carbon emissions, minimizing environmental impact, promoting resource recycling, and achieving a win-win situation for both economic and environmental benefits.
