In September 2023, with the support of Energy Foundation China, Naikai University and China Automotive Technology and Research Center Co., Ltd jointly released this research report analyzing how much carbon emission China’s non-road mobile machinery can potentially reduce and what policies might help fulfill the potential.

Mobile sources are one of the most significant contributors to air pollution in China. While non-road mobile sources have a much lower total volume compared to motor vehicles, their emissions contribution is increasingly prominent due to factors such as a lack of registration management and relatively old engine technology and emission standards. This report investigates the production and usage of typical non-road mobile machinery. After summarizing related emission control experiences, it also presents decarbonization strategies for non-road machinery.

Given the fact that non-road mobile machinery exhibits a diverse range of types and is used in various dispersed scenarios, the report points out that their pollution and carbon emission control methods and effects vary significantly between different types of machinery. Currently, the economic viability of transitioning agricultural machinery to renewable energy sources is low. The report’s suggestion is to initiate the transition with construction machinery.