The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issues the standard for the lithium ion battery industry.

Source: Website of Ministry of Industry and Information Technology

According to the information issued by Electronic Information Division of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, in order to strengthen lithium-ion battery industry management, improve the development level of the industry, guide transformation and upgrading and restructuring of the industry, promote the sustained and healthy development of lithium-ion battery industry, Standard Conditions for Lithium-ion Battery Industry are formulated by the relevant business ministries and commissions according to national laws and regulations and industrial policies as well as the requirements of joint inter-ministerial meeting for safe production of dangerous chemicals. The detailed announcements are as follows:

Standard Conditions for Lithium-ion Battery Industry

To enhance lithium-ion battery industry management, guide industrial transformation and upgrading, strive to foster strategic emerging industries, promote the healthy development of lithium-ion battery industry, the standard conditions are formulated according to national laws and regulations and industrial policies as well as the principles of optimizing the layout, standardizing the order, guaranteeing the quality, safe management, promoting innovation and classified guidance.

I. Industrial Layout and Project Setup

(I) The enterprises and projects of lithium-ion battery industry should comply with the laws and regulations for national resources development and utilization, environmental protection, energy-saving management and other aspects, national industrial policies and related industrial development planning and layout requirements, overall local land use planning, overall urban planning, environmental function zoning and environmental protection planning and other requirements.

(II) The projects of lithium-ion battery industry should not be built in basic farmland protection areas determined by national laws, regulations and planning or approved by people’s government at provincial level or above, or other areas where industrial enterprises are prohibited to be built according to laws and regulations. Existing enterprises in the above-mentioned areas should gradually move out.

(III) Strictly control the new projects in lithium-ion battery industry with low technological level simply for expanding production capacity. For the necessary new and renovation and expansion projects for promoting technological innovation, promoting product quality, reducing production costs and other purposes, the relevant competent departments of the industry should strengthen the organization and argument according to the relevant provisions.

II. Production Scale and Process Technology

(I) The enterprise shall meet the following requirements: legally incorporated in the territory of People’s Republic of China, with an independent legal personality; with the independent production, sales and service capabilities for the relevant products in lithium-ion battery industry; with high-tech enterprise qualifications or independent research institutions and technology centers at provincial level or above; the main products have technical invention patents.

(II) Enterprises should meet the following size requirements:

The annual production capacity of batteries should not be less than 100 million watt-hours;

The annual production capacity of positive materials should not be less than 2,000 tons;

The annual production capacity of negative materials should not be less than 2,000 tons;

The annual production capacity of separator should not be less than 20 million square meters;

The annual production capacity of electrolyte solution should not be less than 2,000 tons, and the annual capacity of electrolyte should not be less than500 tons.

The actual output in last year when the enterprise declares should not be less than 50% of actual production capacity.

(III) The enterprise should adopt the production process and equipment with advanced process, energy saving and environmental protection and high degree of automation. Automation equipment should be used in electrode manufacturing, electrode winding or laminating and other key processes. Temperature, humidity, cleanliness and other environmental conditions are controlled during injection, with organic solvent recovery system. Process, equipment and related facilities should meet the following requirements:

1. They should have the detection capacity of harmful impurities in the positive and negative materials of batteries, including iron, zinc, copper and other metals, and the detection accuracy should not be less than 1ppm;

2. They should have coating thickness and length detection means, the measurement accuracy of coating thickness should be  2μm and the measurement accuracy of coating thickness should not be less than 1mm;

3. They should have sampling detection capacity for glitches generated after the shearing of battery electrodes, and the detection accuracy should be 1μm;

4. They should have sampling detection capacity for moisture contents after drying battery electrodes, and the detection accuracy should be 10ppm;

5. They should have sampling detection capacity for alignment after winding / laminating of battery electrodes, and the detection accuracy should be 0.1mm;

6. They should have online detection capacity for internal short circuit after battery assembly (such as using HI-POT test);

7. The batteries in multi-core battery pack should have online detection capacity for open circuit voltage and internal resistance, and the detection accuracies should be 1mV and 1mΩ respectively;

8. They should have online detection capacity for the protection board of battery.

III. Product Quality and Performance

The product quality of enterprise must meet the relevant national or industrial standards, and pass the test in Section 38.3 of Part III in Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods - Manual of Tests and Criteria, and enterprises are encouraged to develop the corporate standards which are higher than national or industrial standards. Enterprises should establish a quality management system and pass the certifications, and set up the corresponding product quality traceability system. Enterprises should be equipped with quality inspection departments and full-time inspectors

In addition to general requirements, the quality management system of enterprises should also include the following contents: process control shall include the related activities to prevent and find the internal short circuit faults in the manufacturing process of batteries; control measures that should be taken when failing to pass the test in Section 38.3 of Part III in Manual of Tests and Criteria.

Lithium-ion battery manufacturers must have electrical performance and security testing capabilities specified in relevant standards, enterprises are encouraged to have environmental compatibility testing instruments and equipment, with battery environmental adaptability detection capabilities.

(I) Battery

1. The energy density of single consumption-type battery is ≥150Wh / kg, the energy density of battery pack is ≥120Wh/kg, and the volume energy density of single polymer battery is ≥550Wh/L. The cycle life is ≥400 times and the capacity retention rate is ≥80%.

2. Power batteries are divided into energy type and power type. For energy type, the energy density of single battery is ≥120Wh/kg, the energy density of battery pack is ≥85Wh/kg, the cycle life is ≥1,500 times and the capacity retention rate is ≥80%. For power type, the energy density of single battery is ≥3,000W/kg, the energy density of battery pack is ≥2,100W/kg, the cycle life is ≥2,000 times, and the capacity retention rate is ≥80%. The cycle life of battery for electric bicycle is ≥600 times, and the capacity retention rate is ≥80%. The cycle life of battery pack for electric tools is ≥500 times, and the capacity retention rate is ≥80%.

3. For energy storage type, the energy density of single battery is ≥110Wh/kg, the energy density of battery pack is ≥75Wh/kg, the cycle life is ≥2,000 times, and the capacity retention rate is ≥80%.

(II) Positive materials

The specific capacity adopts the elevation result of button 2032 type battery, and the cycle life adopts the elevation result of 18650 type battery.

1. The specific capacity of lithium cobaltate is ≥ 150Ah/kg, the magnetic impurity content is ≤100ppb, the cycle life is 300 times, and the capacity retention rate is ≥80%.

2. The specific capacity of lithium manganate is ≥95Ah/kg, the magnetic impurity content is ≤100ppb, the cycle life is 300 times, and the capacity retention rate is ≥80%.

3. The specific capacity of lithium iron phosphate is ≥140Ah/kg, the cycle life is 800 times, and the capacity retention rate is ≥80%.

4. 2. The specific capacity of ternary materials is ≥150Ah/kg, the magnetic impurity content is ≤100ppb, the cycle life is 300 times, and the capacity retention rate is ≥80%.

5. The performance indicators of other positive materials should be in the reference to the above requirements.

(III) Negative el materials

The specific capacity adopts the elevation result of button 2032 type battery, and the cycle life adopts the elevation result of 18650 type battery.

1. The specific capacity of carbon (graphite) materials is ≥320Ah/kg, the magnetic impurity content is ≤100ppb, the cycle life is 300 times, and the capacity retention rate is ≥85%.

2. The specific capacity of lithium titanate materials is ≥150Ah/kg, the magnetic impurity content is ≤100ppb, the cycle life is 1,000 times, and the capacity retention rate is ≥80%.

2. The specific capacity of silicon carbon materials is ≥400Ah/kg, the magnetic impurity content is ≤100ppb, the cycle life is 300 times, and the capacity retention rate is ≥80%.

4. The specific capacity of negative materials of amorphous carbon (including soft carbon, hard carbon) is ≥250Ah/kg, the initial efficiency is ≤80%, the cycle life is 1,000 times, and the capacity retention rate is ≥80%.

5. The performance indicators of other negative materials should be in the reference to the above requirements.

(IV) Separator

Dry uniaxial tension method: longitudinal tensile strength ≥110Mpa, (120 ℃, 1h) heat shrinkage ≤6%; transverse tensile strength ≥10Mpa, (120 ℃, 1h) transverse thermal shrinkage rate ≤1%, longitudinal heat shrinkage ≤6%; puncture strength ≥1.33N / μm; porosity (30 - 70)%; air permeability (100-750) s / 100ml.

Dry biaxial tension method: longitudinal tensile strength ≥100Mpa, transverse tensile strength ≥25Mpa, (120 ℃, 1h) thermal shrinkage rate ≤5%, a puncture strength ≥1.33N / μm, porosity (30 - 70)%, air permeability (100-750) s / 100ml.

Wet biaxial tension: longitudinal tensile strength ≥100Mpa, transverse tensile strength ≥60Mpa, (120 ℃, 1h) thermal shrinkage rate ≤13%, a puncture strength ≥2.04N / μm, porosity (30 - 70)%, air permeability (150-600) s / 100ml.

(V) Electrolyte (containing electrolyte) water content of not higher than 20ppm, hydrogen fluoride content of not higher than 50ppm, individual metal impurity content of not higher than 1ppm.

IV. Comprehensive Utilization of Resource and Protection of environment

(I) Land for enterprises and projects should accord with the standard for land usage which is issued by the state, protecting the cultivated land strictly and saving intensive land.

(II) Production equipment, technical energy consumption and the products of enterprises should meet the requirements of national laws, regulations and standards for energy saving. The enterprises should set particular energy-saving jobs, set targets for unit consumption of products, and set energy consumption accounts.

(III) New and renovation and expansion projects should implement the environmental impact assessment system strictly. The enterprises and projects which failed to pass the examination and approval of the environmental impact assessment cannot be started to build.

According to the requirements of “three simultaneities” of environmental protection, the matching environmental protection equipment of enterprises or projects should apply for the environmental protection acceptance after being completed legally. They can be put into production only after the acceptance is qualified. Before the examination and approval of the environmental impact assessment files, they should get the total discharge indicators of key pollutants. Enterprises should have complete and sound environmental management organizations, make efficient enterprise environmental management regulations, set enterprise environmental protection accounts, and conduct clean production examination and approval, and pass the assessment acceptance regularly.

(IV) Enterprises should meet the requirements of environmental protection laws and regulations, receive the pollutant discharging licenses legally, and discharge pollutants according to the requirements of pollutant discharging licenses. The discharge of waste water and gas should meet the national and local atmospheric and water pollutant discharge standards and total quantity control requirements; and the industrial solid wastes should be legally stored, handled or used comprehensively.

(V) Enterprises should formulate self-monitoring plans, carry out the monitoring work and disclose the monitoring information publicly according to environmental impact report (form) and its approval as well as national and local pollutant discharge (control) standards and environmental monitoring technology regulations.

(VI) Enterprises should strengthen the work of environmental risk control, make emergency plans of unexpected environmental events, report in time and deal with emergency environmental events which are caused by the normal discharge of waste gas and water efficiently.

V. Safety Management

(I) Enterprises and project construction should meet the requirements of Safety Production Law and other relevant laws, regulations and standards. When the requirements are inconsonant, they should conduct the stricter safety standard or regulation.

(II) Enterprises should set up safety management departments and full-time safety jobs, strengthen the workers’ safety production education and training and hidden risk check and government, establish, improve and implement safety production responsibility system, set up corresponding safety account system, have traceability means of production safety quality, and have control measures for the key raw materials, key component quality and key technological links of products. They should carry out standard construction of safety production and be up to level III or above.

(III) Enterprises should meet relevant laws, safety requirements and standards when they design, produce, store, transport, use and recycle batteries. They should also take corresponding safety control measures of every link actively, and pass the relevant safety identification of lithium-ion battery. The lithium-ion battery which is used for air transportation should meet the relevant requirements of Technical Rules on Safe Air Transportation of Dangerous Goods which is published by International Civil Aviation Organization and Management Rules on the Transportation of Dangerous Goods through China Civil Aviation which is published by Civil Aviation Administration of China, as well as Air Transportation Regulations on Lithium-ion Battery (MH/T1020) and Testing Regulations on Air Transportation of Lithium-ion Battery (MH/T1052).

(IV) For some dangerous places where fire, explosion, smoking and other emergencies may be caused, enterprises should take necessary measures such as fire protection, anti-explosion and ventilation, equip relevant personnel protection appliances, and make training and examination system for relevant staff.

VI. Sanitation and Social Responsibility

(I) Enterprises should obey Law on Prevention and Control of Occupational Disease and other relevant laws, regulations and standards.

(II) Enterprises should implement the prevention and control measures of occupational diseases, have measures to test, assess and monitor fatal danger source and contingency plans, and install necessary equipment and facilities.

(III) Enterprises should obey national relevant laws and regulations, participate in various kinds of insurance such as endowment, unemployment, medical and work-related injury insurance, and they should pay enough relevant insurance expenses for employees.

VII. Supervision and Management

(I) New and renovation and expansion enterprises and projects should meet the requirements of the standard conditions.

(II) If the existing enterprises and projects do not meet the standard conditions, they should meet the requirements of the standard conditions according to the requirements of industrial transformation and upgrading, under the guidance of national industrial policy and in the way of merging and reorganization, technological innovation, etc.

(III) The investment, land supply, environmental impact assessment, energy saving assessment, quality control, safety supervision and financing of enterprises and projects should comply with the standard conditions. The enterprises and projects that do not meet the standard conditions, the aviation and logistics transportation, export tax rebates, domestic application assistance and other policies of related products will not be supported.

(IV) Enterprises should voluntarily prepare application materials according to the standard conditions, and report them to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology via the provincial competent department of industry and information according to the principle of territoriality. The competent departments of industry and information at different levels should supervise and check the implementation of the standard conditions by the local enterprises with relevant departments. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology should organize industrial organizations and testing organizations to check enterprises, regularly publish the list of enterprises that comply with the standard conditions, and organize relevant organizations to selectively check the products of the announcing enterprises at the market with relevant departments, and implement social supervision and dynamic management.

(V) If any of the following cases occur in the announcing enterprises, its announcement qualifications will be cancelled:

1. Have falsifications when reporting data;

2. Refuse to accept supervision and inspection;

3. Fail to maintain the requirements of standard conditions;

4. Any major safety and pollution accidents occur;

5. In violation of laws, regulations and national industrial policies.

If there are falsifications in declaring enterprises when reporting data, its declaration materials will not be handled within two years.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology should inform the related enterprises before revoking their announcing qualifications, and hear the statement and defense of enterprises.

(VI) Relevant industrial organizations, research institutions and testing organizations should assist the industrial competent departments to implement, supervise and check the implementation of the standard conditions, organize enterprises to strengthen coordination and self-discipline management.

VIII. Supplementary Articles

(I) The standard conditions are applicable to all kinds of upstream and downstream production enterprises in lithium-ion battery industry within the territory of People’s Republic of China (excluding Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao), including enterprises involving positive materials, negative materials, separators, electrolyte solution (including electrolytes), battery and so on. If there is no particular provision, the batteries mentioned in the standard conditions generally include single battery (cell), battery pack (with battery system).

(II) If the laws and regulations involved in the standard conditions, national standards and industrial policy are revised, the revised regulations should prevail.

(III) In addition to the requirements of the standard conditions, the lithium-ion power battery used for automobiles should meet the requirements of Standard Conditions of Power Batteries for Automobiles.

(V) The standard conditions will be implemented from October 1, 2015. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology should be responsible for interpretation, and it should revise the standard conditions together with relevant departments according to industry development as well as macro regulation and control requirements.

Ministry of Industry and Information Technology

August 31, 2015