In September, the fifth consecutive World Battery Conference was held in Yibin City, Sichuan Province, from September 3rd to 4th. The event was not merely an exhibition but a report on the progress of a city that has been striving since 2019 to make battery production its second industry, valued at 100 billion yuan after strong liquor production, thanks to the establishment of a wholly-owned subsidiary of CATL.
The current focus is on production scale. The city's capacity approaches 300 GWh, and organizers state that Yibin may exceed this mark in the third quarter. It is also claimed that approximately one in ten global electric vehicle batteries is produced there. In the first half of 2026, sales volume in the battery industry reached 765.7 billion yuan, which is 42.6% higher compared to the previous year.
The exhibition covered an area of over 50,000 square meters and gathered more than 200 exhibitors and institutions, among which Spain was the first guest pavilion. Technological announcements were as significant as the GWh figures. A session by Academician Yang Mingao presented eight innovations for the 2025–2026 period, including ultra-fast charging cells, high-energy hybrid solid-state liquid batteries, durable replacement cells for electric vehicles, large high-safety energy storage cells, fourth-generation LFP materials with high packing density, passenger car thermal regulation for all climatic conditions, a new generation of square high-speed winding, and a safety system compliant with national mandatory battery standards.
Work is also underway on solid-state batteries using sulfide, polymer, and oxide schemes, and an innovation park for solid-state types covering about 2 square kilometers is planned, which is the first of its kind in Sichuan. Environmental responsibility is also part of the image. The Sichuan Times base in Yibin operates on over 80% renewable hydropower and received a 'zero carbon emission factory' certificate according to PAS 2060, subsequently being recognized as a World Economic Forum Beacon Factory. The conference venue itself used 100% green electricity based on certificates.
The supply chain involves the TianYuan group, which ensures a closed loop from the chlor-alkali process to LFP, as well as partners dealing with foil, BMS, and nano-silicon anodes, ensuring coverage from materials to recycling. Over seven years, Yibin's story has moved beyond just inviting CATL; the question now is whether the city on the Yangtze River can accumulate awards for processes, solid-state technology laboratories, and green factories quickly enough to remain a global hub for the battery industry.