"Avian visitors" settle in as Spotlight Automotive establishes a new ecosystem for sustainable and green manufacturing plant

In recent days, on the large lawn of Spotlight Automotive plant, there have been sightings of a group of avian visitors making themselves at home, creating a delightful sight. With their melodious and gentle bird songs, and their exquisite and lightweight feathers, they gracefully soar through the air or leisurely stroll on the campus grounds. Long-tailed Shrike, Magpies, Mynas, Egret, and the greenery complement each other, creating a harmonious blend of eco-friendly green surroundings and the bustling sounds of intelligent manufacturing, playing a symphony of harmony between man and nature.

(Photo credit: Yu Deng)

Spotlight Automotive's production base is located in Jiangsu's Zhangjiagang City, specifically in the Yangshe Town Economic Development Zone. Covering an area of 930 acres, the plant boasts a total construction area of 280,000 square meters. It comprises four major workshops - Stamping, Body, Painting, and Assembly - as well as an analysis center, PACK workshop, and a test track. All vehicle models produced at the plant are purely electric passenger cars. Aligned with the principles of "intensive land use, intelligent manufacturing, and energy saving and environmental protection," the plant employs cutting-edge international production technology and quality management systems. It serves as a benchmark plant that truly meets global regulations and market requirements.

Practicing Low Carbon, Creating a New Ecosystem for Sustainable Development

Spotlight embraces sustainable development as its strategic philosophy, committed to delivering sustainable products from green plant and green supply chains to its customers. From the very beginning of the plant construction, this philosophy has been ingrained in every aspect, including considerations for energy efficiency, carbon emissions, and the utilization of green renewable energy in elements such as natural lighting, exterior wall insulation design, building materials, coatings, and water recycling. The plant workshop roofs are equipped with distributed translucent panels, utilizing natural lighting technology. By strategically placing these panels on the roofs, abundant natural light is efficiently introduced indoors. This not only reduces energy consumption for lighting but also enhances the comfort and productivity of the staff. In addition, the plant premises are equipped with various new energy devices, such as intelligent variable-frequency air compressors and LED lighting, to promote green production through a combination of measures. This concerted effort accelerates carbon reduction and propels Spotlight towards the sustainable development of a new green plant ecosystem.

In the plant, employees have joined forces to create a thriving green haven. They actively respond to the initiative of "adopting a pot of flowers and sharing a green space," wholeheartedly caring for this green area. Camphor trees, magnolias, osmanthus trees, citrus trees, loquat trees, orange trees, purple plum trees, and other plants have grown vigorously, with lush branches and leaves, becoming a beautiful scenery at the Spotlight plant.

Moving towards green and constructing a comprehensive green production system

Energy conservation and emission reduction are inevitable choices for environmental protection and sustainable development of enterprises. Spotlight is committed to the entire manufacturing process and adheres to the principle of "regeneration first", putting sustainable development into practice from the procurement of automobile raw materials, production, use, and recycling.

On the supply chain end, Spotlight calls on suppliers to efficiently utilize resources. When selecting raw materials, priority is given to secondary materials with low carbon dioxide emissions and materials produced using green electricity. In addition, domestically produced parts used in plant production are transported to the plant in reusable packaging.

At the production process end, Spotlight utilizes a "zeolite wheel" device to absorb the exhaust emissions from painting, and then processes them through a waste gas incineration system. The average content of non-methane total hydrocarbons in the exhaust gas after combustion is lower than 5 mg/m³, well below the national and local standard of 60 mg/m³. The exhaust gas collection rate exceeds 99%, achieving a purification efficiency of over 90% and significantly reducing carbon emissions.

In terms of recycling processes, Spotlight treats both domestic and production wastewater in sewage stations, employing a process of water reuse. The primary purified water generated after filtration by pure water equipment can be used for cooling towers, rain test lines, and more, achieving the recycling and reuse of water resources, saving approximately 100,000 tons of tap water annually. In terms of waste heat recovery, the drying excess heat from the painting process is utilized to raise the temperature of the pretreatment line tank liquid. The maximum waste heat recovery can reach 2600 kW/h, reducing steam consumption by approximately 5000 tons and decreasing energy consumption by about 30%.

The company also incorporates intelligent methods into green production by adopting the "EMS--Energy Management System" to monitor and analyze the emissions and consumption of various energy sources in the plant. Utilizing big data and artificial intelligence, optimization strategies are provided for key energy-consuming equipment, offering the best solutions on both the supply and demand sides, thus achieving intelligent and green production.

Empowering with green electricity, contributing to the construction of a "green plant"

Spotlight actively responds to the national call, installing a 30 MW distributed photovoltaic power station in the plant. The total area will reach 496,000 square meters, with an estimated annual power generation of approximately 33.6 million kilowatt-hours. The photovoltaic project is expected to have a lifespan of 25 years, providing renewable energy to Spotlight’s manufacturing operations in a long-term and sustainable manner. It will save approximately 4,129 tons of standard coal per year for the company, equivalent to reducing approximately 19,965 tons of carbon dioxide emissions, which is approximately the same as the carbon reduction achieved by afforestation and greening projects on an area of 34,874 acres. This milestone signifies a significant step for Spotlight in the field of renewable energy.

In the future, Spotlight will steadfastly pursue the path of "sustainable development" by implementing measures such as the photovoltaic project, process optimization, clean energy, circular economy, carbon emissions management, and engaging in cooperative activities with surrounding communities. The company is dedicated to promoting energy conservation, carbon reduction, pollution control, green expansion, and growth, relying on a high-quality ecological environment to support high-quality development, leading the way in green environmental trends, and accelerating the construction of modern green plants to promote the harmonious coexistence of man and nature.