In July this year, China’s monthly sales of new energy vehicles surpassed 60% of total new vehicle sales for the first time. As China’s new energy vehicle industry accelerates forward amid unprecedented competition, a trillion-yuan-level market opportunity with far-reaching implications is quietly emerging — new energy storage.Leshan understands the challenges facing the photovoltaic industry better than most. Therefore, the city is leveraging its 60-year foundation in photovoltaic development to secure a place in this emerging industrial arena.This strategic transition has helped drive a steady recovery in Leshan’s key industrial indicators, creating an upward growth trajectory. From January to July this year, the added value of industrial enterprises above designated size in Leshan increased by 4.3% year-on-year, representing an improvement of 11.3 percentage points compared with the first quarter.

In its strategic transformation announcement, GCL TECH stated: “The global new energy power and energy storage industries are entering the terawatt-hour era, creating structural development opportunities for the sector.” Put simply, photovoltaics generate electricity, while energy storage preserves electricity. Without effective storage solutions, renewable power generation remains incomplete — energy storage represents the final missing link in the industrial chain. Located in Leshan High-tech Zone, the first phase of GCL TECHLeshan Xinneng’s 400,000-ton-per-year LFP cathode material project, an important project for extending and expanding GCL Group’s industrial presence in Sichuan, has entered the commissioning and trial production stage. The project adopts GCL’s independently developed “GCL-PHY One-Step Physical Dry Process” low-carbon technology, reducing traditional production procedures from 11 steps to only 4. The innovation significantly lowers overall production costs while enabling green traceability throughout the supply chain for downstream battery manufacturers from the source.

“The cathode materials produced in Phase I have already been fully secured by leading customers. Once Phase I reaches full production capacity, it is expected to generate annual output value of nearly RMB 12 billion. Phase II is scheduled to commence construction within this year. After the entire project reaches full production, it is expected to contribute approximately RMB 400 million in annual tax revenue and create more than 800 jobs,” said the project representative with confidence. The GCL development pathway reflects Leshan’s determination to break through industrial bottlenecks. By securing existing production capacity, extending industrial chains and capturing emerging market opportunities, Leshan is activating new momentum for industrial growth.

At the end of July, Sichuan’s first grid-forming vanadium flow battery energy storage power station, with an energy storage capacity of 400,000 kWh, was connected to the grid and commenced operations in Shizhong District, Leshan.As a grid-forming energy storage facility, the project differs fundamentally from conventional grid-following energy storage systems. “Simply put, grid-forming energy storage has evolved from passively responding to grid requirements to actively providing services — like a ‘super power bank.’ Traditional energy storage stations mainly support grid operations, while grid-forming energy storage stations can proactively meet grid demands,” said Zhu Xiaoxing, Deputy General Manager of Sichuan Welldone Energy Co., Ltd. Following grid connection, the power station will effectively alleviate electricity supply pressures in Leshan and surrounding areas, support power security during peak summer demand periods and safeguard the stability of the regional power grid.

Among the world’s top ten photovoltaic companies, names such as Yongxiang, Jinko, JYT and GCL represent some of the most influential players in the global photovoltaic industry.However, these strengths have historically been concentrated on the “power generation side.” Moving toward the “power storage side” requires more than polysilicon resources alone.While maintaining the foundation of its polysilicon industry, Leshan is simultaneously targeting the emerging energy storage market. Leveraging its industrial foundation as the “China Green Silicon Valley” and its local vanadium resource advantages, the city is continuously expanding vanadium flow battery energy storage, advancing lithium battery materials, and developing sodium-ion battery materials.

Through this approach, Leshan is establishing a differentiated development path driven by “photovoltaics + energy storage” as dual growth engines.Today, 41 industrial enterprises above designated size in Leshan’s photovoltaic and energy storage sectors are working collaboratively. Leading companies including Yongxiang, Jinko, JYT and GCL are steadily releasing production capacity. Projects such as Shuoyang’s 2GW HBC solar cell project have entered trial production, while projects including Zhongxin Energy’s LFP materials and Zhenying’s sodium-ion battery cathode materials are accelerating construction. A comprehensive industrial capacity matrix covering polysilicon, silicon wafer manufacturing, energy storage equipment and lithium battery materials is taking shape. Leshan is accelerating its transformation from a single silicon raw material production base into a nationally leading photovoltaic and energy storage industrial cluster.From January to June this year, Leshan’s new energy storage industry achieved an output value of RMB 2.14 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 83.6%.

Beyond pursuing emerging opportunities, Leshan is also revitalizing its century-old industrial foundation.With a century-long chemical industry heritage, Leshan is using green transformation to help traditional industries achieve renewed growth.Driven by the concept of “element economics,” Fuhua Chemical has not only partnered with global chemical giants including Germany’s Evonik and Switzerland’s Clariant to fill gaps in high-end chemical new materials, but has also transformed phosphorus resources from glyphosate mother liquor into battery-grade iron phosphate, directly entering the supply chain of new energy vehicle power batteries.This circular and high-value transformation — turning “waste” into “wealth” — has injected remarkable vitality into traditional heavy industries.From January to July this year, industrial technological transformation investment in Leshan reached RMB 6.38 billion, up 26.1% year-on-year, ranking seventh among cities and prefectures in Sichuan Province in terms of growth rate.The city’s cultivation pool for industrial enterprises above designated size continues to expand, with 22 new enterprises added from January to July.

High-quality projects cannot simply be waited for — they must be actively attracted and developed.In Leshan, the speed of industrial project implementation continues to accelerate.Tan Ruipeng, Deputy Director of the Leshan Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, said that since the beginning of this year, Leshan has implemented the “Five Major Breakthrough Actions” and established a regular support mechanism for industrial economic development.The city has provided more than RMB 48 million in policy incentive funds for industrial development, benefiting 261 enterprises. It has also organized 14 financing and supply-demand matchmaking events involving government, banks and enterprises, facilitating signed credit agreements worth RMB 11.34 billion and helping more than 100 enterprises expand market orders exceeding RMB 3 billion.

Through mechanisms such as the “Enterprise Home” platform and regular government-enterprise communication initiatives including “monthly meetings and weekly visits,” Leshan continues to address enterprise challenges and provide strong support for industrial upgrading and breakthrough development.