First Global Solid-State Battery Standard Proposed by China; AI Power and Energy Storage Chain Gain Triple Catalysts

World's First International Solid-State Battery Standard Approved On August 24, China's Standardization Administration announced that the international standard proposal "Secondary Lithium-Ion Batteries for Electric Vehicle Propulsion: Application Guide, Test Items and Conditions for Solid-State Batteries" had been approved by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Led by China and joined by experts from France, South Korea, and Japan, it is the first global standard for solid-state batteries and will clearly define testing norms, giving automakers a common benchmark for R&D and production. Notably, the world's first national vehicle solid-state battery standard, GB/T 43568-2026, took effect on July 1, and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology subsequently released draft industry standards, forming a two-tier system of national and industry norms that ends the marketing confusion around terms such as "semi-solid" and "quasi-solid." Twin Catalysts of Standard System and Tax Exemption The Ministry of Finance, General Administration of Customs, and State Taxation Administration jointly announced that solid-state batteries will be exempt from consumption tax from September 1, 2026 through December 31, 2028, using tax policy to support the new technology route. Industrial catalysts are also intensifying: in the first quarter of 2026, more than 16 solid-state battery and material projects were put into production, started construction, or signed; in the first half of the year, related investment projects exceeded 40. GAC Group's all-solid-state battery pilot line has been completed and begun small-batch vehicle validation, while Geely plans to deploy solid-state battery pilots across multiple brands from 2027. Huayuan Securities estimates global solid-state battery shipments could reach 607.2 GWh by 2030, with all-solid-state batteries accounting for nearly 20%. AI Data Centers and Power-Equipment Exports Huaxi Securities' latest research note points out that transformer exports grew 26% year-on-year in January-July 2026, driven by global AIDC build-out and power-grid upgrades, keeping demand for transformers, switches, and other power equipment at high levels. The power shortage outlook for North American AI is clear, and orders for gas turbines and liquid-cooling chains are expected to accelerate. As Chinese power-equipment exporters enter a golden window, companies such as Sieyuan Electric and Jinpan Technology, which are positioned in overseas high-voltage equipment supply, are expected to continue benefiting. AI computing expansion is extending from the chip layer to power and cooling layers, making power supplies, liquid cooling, and transformers new high-growth tracks. Surging Energy-Storage Installations and Battery Production Schedules China's energy-storage sector remains highly vibrant. In July, new installations of new-type energy storage reached 15.77 GWh, a year-to-date high, with energy-scale hitting a record for the same period and power scale growing steadily year-on-year. Independent energy storage, the dominant deployment form, improved significantly month-on-month, and project commissioning continues to accelerate. CSC Securities estimates China's lithium battery total production schedule in August at about 304 GWh, up 7.4% month-on-month, with energy-storage cell schedules increasing by about 10 GWh. 2026 is the verification year for all-solid-state batteries, and the sector is currently in a triple-resonance window of high production schedules, solid-state vehicle validation, and equipment delivery. Investment Themes and Risk Factors Tebon Securities' latest report argues that solid-state battery commercialization will follow the logic of "high-cost-tolerance niche scenarios first, mass market expansion as costs decline." In the near term, low-altitude economy, embodied intelligence, and commercial aerospace are expected to be the first landing scenarios, while new-energy vehicles and energy storage will form the core medium- and long-term demand. Investors are advised to prioritize upstream segments with higher certainty, including equipment and materials, especially the supply chain for lithium sulfide, the core precursor of sulfide solid electrolytes. Risks include weaker-than-expected NEV development, slower-than-expected renewable-energy installations, significant product price declines, and delayed grid construction.