MIIT: Deepen carbon-footprint reporting for power batteries

On Dec. 31, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued a notice to launch carbon-footprint reporting for automotive power batteries. The scope covers all products sold in China with a rated energy greater than 2 kWh, with battery-pack manufacturers bearing primary responsibility for filing.

An official from MIIT's First Department of Equipment Industry, responding to questions on the Notice on Carrying Out Carbon-Footprint Reporting for Automotive Power Batteries (the "Notice"), said the initiative is intended to accelerate the development of a carbon-footprint management system suited to China's conditions and to better support the sector's green transition and high-quality growth.

The Notice sets a target of establishing by end-2026 accounting rules, standards frameworks, and evaluation and certification mechanisms; building out industry background datasets; and putting in place a carbon-footprint management system — with accounting rules, certification standards, background data and conformity assessment gradually aligned and mutually recognized internationally.

The official also outlined the basic logic for calculating a battery's carbon footprint: take total emissions across four stages — raw-material sourcing, battery manufacturing, distribution and transport, and end-of-life recycling — and divide by the total energy delivered over the battery pack's full lifecycle.

The trial filing period runs from the Notice's release through Dec. 31, 2026. During this phase, battery-pack manufacturers must complete carbon-footprint filings for no fewer than 5 representative products, while third-party verification bodies should audit the data and issue verification reports. Starting Jan. 1, 2027, the process shifts to regular, ongoing reporting.

Looking ahead, MIIT will work with the State Administration for Market Regulation and other agencies to strengthen coordination and advance the carbon-footprint management framework. Priorities include tightening execution of filings and accelerating standards for corporate emissions accounting and reporting, carbon-footprint quantification methods and requirements, verification technical guidelines, data monitoring and measurement, and certification of emission-factor databases.