#China #Yantai #Sustainable Development #Low-Carbon

Yantai's Green Revolution: A Global Template for Low-Carbon Transformation

Yantai, a coastal city in Shandong Province, stands out as a beacon of sustainable progress. On December 4, 2025, the city's importance was underlined during the Shandong Green Low-carbon High-quality Development Conference. As one of China's pioneering cities in carbon reduction and ecological advancement, Yantai's journey exemplifies a robust model for low-carbon transformations across global bay areas.

With the backdrop of China's ambitious 'dual carbon' goals established five years prior, Yantai has made remarkable strides. This city's industrial landscape features 37 of the nation's 41 major industrial sectors, establishing it as a crucial player in regional development. Notably, Yantai has recently become the first prefecture-level city in northern China to join the prestigious 'one-trillion-yuan GDP club,' showcasing its economic prowess. Currently, it hosts over 50 publicly listed companies with a market value surpassing 1.2 trillion yuan, which further solidifies its status as an industrial hub.

Embracing Clean Energy

Yantai has committed to clean energy as an integral part of its development strategy, establishing it as one of 16 key industrial chains. The city has taken significant steps to create a comprehensive new energy system, which integrates nuclear, wind, solar, and hydrogen power, alongside energy storage and liquefied natural gas (LNG). Yantai has launched major initiatives in nuclear energy and offshore wind power, allowing it to carve out a unique identity in the clean energy sector.

Among its notable achievements are the production of Shandong's first kilowatt-hour of nuclear power and its first from offshore wind—marking milestones that have positioned Yantai at the forefront of clean energy innovations. It proudly holds the distinction of realizing China's first kilowatt-hour from a pile-based fixed offshore photovoltaic project and the world's first from a deep-sea floating offshore photovoltaic endeavor. Additionally, Yantai has successfully demonstrated the integration of offshore wind power with marine ranching and constructed the largest coastal photovoltaic-plus-energy storage facility in the country.

The city has also initiated the first commercial nuclear energy heating project in China, further showcasing its commitment to diverse energy solutions. Over three years, Yantai has reduced its energy consumption intensity by 20.9%, maintaining a record of accomplishing its energy-saving and carbon-cutting targets for 19 consecutive years. Currently, its installed clean energy capacity exceeds 17 million kilowatts, accentuating the scale of its renewable efforts.

Future Growth and Innovation

Looking towards the future, Yantai is not resting on its laurels. The city plans to pivot towards six industries that promise sustainable development: life sciences, deep-sea and aerospace technologies, next-generation nuclear power, artificial intelligence, new electronic materials, and humanoid robotics. This strategic focus on innovation is engineered to cultivate a new growth trajectory for Yantai.

By 2027, Yantai aims for its industrial enterprises' output value to surpass 1.7 trillion yuan, a target supported by continuous investment in cutting-edge research and development. As it charts this new course, Yantai continues to embody the notion that economic growth and environmental sustainability can indeed go hand in hand.

In summary, Yantai’s committed efforts in low-carbon development serve as a template for other bay areas across the globe. Its achievements and aspirations not only resonate within China but present an inspiring framework for cities worldwide aiming to balance industrial success with ecological stewardship.