The floating photovoltaic power platform in the waters of Yantai High-tech Industrial Development Zone. [Photo/VCG]

China's Shandong province cemented its commitment to green transition with the high-profile 2025 Shandong Green, Low-Carbon, and High-Quality Development Conference in Yantai, resulting in agreements on 32 projects totaling 57 billion yuan ($8.06 billion).

The conference reviewed the province's three-year progress in green development and featured multiple investment and industry sessions. Key outcomes included the release of industry maps and opportunity lists for key sectors.

Shandong's gross domestic product grew 5.6 percent in the first three quarters of 2025, outpacing the national average, and is poised to exceed 10 trillion yuan annually.

Host city Yantai, designated as a core demonstration city for green development, continues to show strong economic momentum. After surpassing trillion-yuan GDP in 2023, it posted 6.4 percent growth in the first three quarters of 2025, with industrial value-added surging 13.9 percent.

Notable signed projects include a 400 to 800 megawatt-hour electrochemical energy storage project in Penglai and collaborations involving IBM and Huawei. Wanhua Chemical Group announced major plans to build world-class battery material bases in Shandong.

International companies expressed strong confidence, with ACWA Power's executive praising Yantai as "the best place in China" and planning to bring advanced technology to the region. Firms like Ningbo Orient Cable and Mingyang Smart Energy highlighted Yantai's offshore wind potential and supportive business environment.

Industry leaders emphasized AI's role in energy optimization, called for integrated industrial clusters, and urged support for next-generation nuclear technology.

The conference marked a pivotal step in Shandong's and Yantai's green transition, setting a clear path for industrial transformation and modernized growth.