In August 2025, the world’s first ultra-advanced zero-carbon building was officially put into operation in Shandong Province, China. It is called “ultra-advanced” because, in addition to photovoltaic power generation, the building achieves 100% green energy replacement through cascaded energy storage batteries and vehicle-to-building (V2B) discharge from new energy vehicles. The official commissioning of this building marks a new progress in China’s zero-carbon building sector.
Standing at 117 meters tall, the world’s first ultra-advanced zero-carbon building has 23 office floors and consumes approximately 6,000 kWh of electricity per day. Unlike traditional buildings that only install photovoltaics on the roof, this building adopts building-integrated photovoltaic glass curtain walls on its east, west, and south facades—essentially wrapping the building in a “photovoltaic power-generating coat.” This design enables the direct supply of DC power, which can be used on-site and effectively avoids energy loss caused by converting DC power to AC power. It provides about 25% of the building’s green energy and reduces carbon emissions by nearly 500 tons annually.
At the bottom of the building, there is also “hidden energy” in place: 14 decommissioned electric vehicle power batteries continue to serve a purpose here. These batteries are charged and discharged once a day. They not only store the excess electricity generated by the photovoltaic glass curtain walls but also store large amounts of unused clean energy from the power grid at a low price of 0.22 yuan per kWh during off-peak hours. This stored energy is then used during peak electricity demand periods or on rainy/cloudy days, effectively balancing the electricity load.
Nearly 24,000 tiny sensors installed inside the building have effectively replaced traditional indoor switches, enabling fully automatic interaction between people and the building’s lighting, air conditioning, elevators, and other systems. By scanning a person’s face, the system can instantly detect which floor the employee needs to go to and immediately dispatch the nearest elevator to pick them up. When an employee arrives at their workspace, the lights and air conditioning automatically turn on, and they shut off automatically when the employee leaves—effectively achieving energy conservation and emission reduction.
The ultra-advanced zero-carbon building is more than just a structure; it is a complete energy ecosystem. It achieves 100% self-sufficiency in green electricity, creating a new zero-carbon building model. This model helps solve the problem of power battery recycling, and its standardized centralized management avoids the environmental risks associated with decentralized battery disposal.
Zero-Carbon Integrate into Daily Life
In recent years, a variety of zero-carbon application scenarios have been integrated into Chinese people’s daily lives. What kind of changes has zero carbon brought about?
Recently, Dasanmen Island in Guangdong Province completed another “zero-carbon island” upgrade. The abandoned marine shrimp farms here have not only realized the complementary use of fishery and solar energy but also been equipped with a 10,000 kWh “super power bank” nearby. Surplus electricity generated during the day can be stored, and a new 200 kW large-scale wind turbine installed on the mountain top can supply a steady stream of green power to villagers at night.
Villagers reported that in the past, electricity on the island was generated by diesel, with a cost of nearly 3 yuan per kWh. Now, not only has the electricity cost dropped to 0.62 yuan per kWh, but excess electricity can also be sold to China Southern Power Grid for additional income. With the freedom of electricity use, more tourists have been coming to the island.
In Jinan, Shandong Province, the heating chimneys in the urban area have quietly disappeared, replaced by the longest “warmth artery” in China. The Liaocheng-Jinan Long-Distance Heating Project, with a total length of about 130 kilometers, transports waste heat from two power plants in Liaocheng to Jinan. It can meet the heating needs of approximately 100 million square meters and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 3.6 million tons each heating season.
Data shows that China’s coal consumption ratio dropped from 56.8% in 2020 to 53.2% in 2024, and the proportion of clean energy in total electricity generation reached 39.7%. A highly efficient and clean energy network is taking shape at an accelerated pace. Such the latest architecture are conducive to protecting the living environment for humanity. For enterprises, it will significantly increase the proportion of green energy consumption and enhance the green competitiveness of their products. The development of a highly efficient and clean energy network will create a greener, smarter, and more inclusive future.
