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The 11th edition of the GTHR Run of the Third Towers is behind us - the first with the participation of our company, and immediately in a double role: title sponsor and active participants!

About 400 residents, including employees of our company, competed in this year's run. 

– We operate in Prusice on a daily basis and are part of a friendly community. We are proud that we could support the organizers in creating this unique event and learn more about local traditions – says Aleksandra Kołaczek, head of the Polish-Chinese relations and translation department. 

Together with the mayor Igor Bandrowicz, the director of the Municipal Center for Culture and Sports in Prusice Joanna Stroga, Grzegorz Terebun, deputy governor of the Trzebnica district, and the secretary of the Prusice municipality Wiktor Lubieniecki, we presented awards to the best runners. We believe that the support of the local community will positively contribute to the development of the municipality and our good neighborly relations with its residents. 

June 10 marked the end of the first series of Chinese language lessons for children held at the H. Sienkiewicz Elementary School in Prusice.

– Together with the Confucius Institute at the University of Wroclaw, we organized a free Chinese language course. 40 young students learned the basics of one of the world's most difficult languages. In addition, they became acquainted with the culture and traditions of China – says Aleksandra Kołaczek, head of the Polish-Chinese relations and translation department. 

We are glad that we managed to interest the subject of Far Eastern traditions and expand the horizons of the youngest residents of our locality. The great interest shows that it is worth organizing similar initiatives in the future.

We would like to invite you to participate in free Chinese language classes, which we organize with the Confucius Institute at the University of Wroclaw. Classes for all willing children from the municipality of Prusice will be held at the H. Sienkiewicz Elementary School in Prusice.

On 11.03.2022, an agreement was signed between MKS Orzeł Prusice Akademia Piłkarska and our company - GTHR - GUOTAI-HUARONG (POLAND). We decided to co-finance the sports activities of the association.

The donated money will be used to purchase clothing for the Prusice academy's players, including match uniforms, training shirts, sports tracksuits, etc. All these items will be complemented with emblems of our company. Funds raised from the sponsor will also be used to cover the cost of purchasing necessary items, organizing sporting events, as well as to cover the costs necessary for the operation of youth teams such as the transportation fee for matches and tournaments, financing the field (purchase of fertilizer, fuel for the lawnmower, paint for line painting, etc.).

We are very happy to participate in the sports life of the municipality of Prusice, including the sports life of the youngest. We assume that this is only the beginning of a long and extremely successful cooperation.

We are extremely pleased that the Nobel Prize in Chemistry is being awarded to three scientists, Stanley Whittingham, John Goodenoughf and Akira Yoshino, for the creation of lithium-ion batteries.

1. 1970s – Stanley Whittingham researches superconductors and discovers a material rich in energy, giving a strong and significant , “drive” to release electrons.
2. 1980 - John Goodenough demonstrates that cobalt oxide in conjunction with lithium ions is capable of producing twice the power.
3. 1985 - Akira Yoshino creates the first lithium-ion battery.

Developments in technology have made it possible to create energy without fossil fuels. Many years of research, analysis and the involvement of many people led to the creation of lithium-ion batteries. Undoubtedly, such an invention has revolutionized our lives - it has enabled us to develop telecommunications, automobiles and, above all, to store a valuable source of solar and wind energy.

Leaping into the future of many fields, including automotive and improving the quality of our lives and the environment have been awarded an extremely valuable prize. All the more valuable and for our factory, where we can continue our research and produce the highest quality lithium-ion battery cartridges.

The whole world is talking about electromobility today, and the word is being used in all cases. There is no escape from the widespread use of electric vehicles is a necessity and a challenge of our time. The Polish government is taking steps to allow electromobility to flourish in our country, which is linked to the development of modern industries, the country's energy security and the reduction of so-called traffic smog.

Does Poland and other European countries face an era of electric motoring? The development of low- and zero-emission transport is one of the priorities of the European Union's environmental policy.

Just read the provisions in the European Commission's March 201 1 White Paper, calling for a reduction in dependence on oil for transportation. The document calls for a 60% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions produced by transportation by 2050 compared to 1990. In turn, the 2014 EU directive on alternative fuels urges member states to develop a strategy for developing the market for alternative fuels in transport and the infrastructure needed to do so. In Poland, as one of the first EU countries, this process has already begun.

– We set ourselves the goal of developing an innovative component of our economy based on electromobility. This decision was not made as a result of being swayed by the global fad for electric cars. We want to use the existing potential in Poland, strengthen it and take the best possible place in the electromobility market. By supporting this sector, we are betting on Polish technical thought or the skills of young scientists – Jadwiga Emilewicz, Minister of Entrepreneurship and Technology, said.

A prerequisite for laying the foundations of electromobility in Poland was the coordination of efforts to develop the sector. The government provided legislative and financial support on both the supply side (production) and the demand side (market). Thus, a legal and political environment was created for the development of electromobility in our country.

The Electromobility Development Plan adopted in March 2017 presents measures that aim to popularize electromobility, defining, among other things, the benefits associated with the use of electric vehicles. In turn, the national policy framework for the development of alternative fuel infrastructure adopted for 32 Polish agglomerations implements European regulations on the conditions for building infrastructure related to this sector.

The January 2018 Law on Electromobility and Alternative Fuels stimulates the development of electromobility and creates conditions for the widespread use of alternative fuels (including LNG and CNG) in the transport sector in Poland. It provides an opportunity to test vehicles with varying degrees of automaticity and enables the creation of clean transport zones in cities. The current legislation also allows electric cars to run in bus lanes or park in specially designated areas. Excise tax exemption and increased depreciation allowances are also important. The adoption of the law makes it possible to support the development of alternative fuel infrastructure, including accelerating the construction of a core network both in urban agglomerations, in densely populated areas, and along roads belonging to the Trans-European Transport Corridors (TEN-T). It introduces a number of solutions aimed at supporting the construction of car charging infrastructure in Poland, both for passenger vehicles and urban public transport. It specifies, among other things, priority regardless of charging type for public transport in connecting charging infrastructure to the network, no construction permits, treating investments as public purpose tasks, or lower charging point connection fees.

On the initiative of the Polish government, the Low Emission Transport Fund was established to support the expansion of alternative fuel infrastructure and the development of the market for vehicles powered by these fuels. Electromobility provides an impetus for the development of modern technologies, not only automotive, but also in the area of energy storage, modern construction materials or electronic and software systems. It is also a factor integrating the world of science and business also in the sector of small and medium-sized enterprises. The effect of the development of electromobility will be to bring about a reduction in oil imports and the consumption of liquid fuels (such as gasoline and diesel) and to reduce air pollution.

A Polish scientific consortium, PolStorEn, was established in February this year to develop a new type of automotive battery cell. The consortium has the know-how and a very large human potential consisting of 80 PhD students and 600 engineers. Already today, Polish universities are conducting numerous studies on energy conversion and applied electrochemistry. They allow the development of new battery technologies and cell production.

– We have a highly qualified staff and a number of universities conducting research and development activities. Not only do we have outstanding computer scientists winning international competitions, but we also have experienced engineers working in such fields as mechanics or working in the field of chemical energy storage for means of transportation. Our country also has a strong base of companies interested in developing the production of components for the cells, as well as hardware and software for integrating batteries for installation in means of transportation. Third, we have a clear plan for what we want to achieve in the field of electromobility and related industries – Minister Jadwiga Emilewicz points out.

Together with France and Germany, Poland is participating in the European Battery Alliance project, which aims to build a “battery airbus.” Our goal is for Polish entrepreneurs to be part of the full battery life cycle value chain, in line with the idea of closed-loop economics. Poland has indigenous companies that produce batteries for Polish electric bus manufacturers and sell cells to foreign manufacturers of robots, mining machines or unmanned vehicles. Poland also has a strong base of companies interested in developing the production of cell components and equipment and software to integrate cells in transportation vehicles, such as KGHM (copper and aluminum foil), Grupa Azoty and Chempur (cathodes and anodes), Synthos and Boryszew (separators), and Orlen (plastics). Large investment projects related to electro mobility are also being carried out by companies such as LG Chem or the Umicore, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, Mitsui Fligh-Tec, LS corporations located in the Walbrzych Special Economic Zone “INVEST-PARK” (WSEZ “INVEST-PARK”), GTHR or Capchem. The southwestern part of Poland, especially Lower Silesia, is one of the most attractive locations for the development of this industry in Europe. This is influenced by excellent infrastructure, geographical location, specialized employees and the presence of global automotive subcontractors, including companies operating in the WSEZ “INVEST-PARK”: GKN Driveline, Bridgestone, NSK, Faurecia, or Mando. One in four of the 250 companies operating in the Wałbrzych zone represents the automotive sector. Our advantages are both perfectly located investment areas and ready industrial halls and office space for rent. The zone offers income tax reliefs, as well as comprehensive support for entrepreneurs, assistance in locating investments and care while running a business: free training, lower energy purchase costs, assistance in finding employees and business partners, mentions Piotr Sosiński, President of the Board of the WSEZ “INVEST-PARK”.

– The zone has been repeatedly recognized in fDi Magazine's international ranking for, among other things, the quality of its service to investors. For more than two decades it has been a catalyst for economic development in Lower Silesia, Opole and Greater Poland - emphasizes the company's CEO.

Dear residents of Godzikowice and Olawa municipality, 

For some time now, we have been observing with concern the emotions that are growing around our investment - GTHR (Guotai-Huarong). We are aware that this type of investment can cause a lot of concern for the residents of the municipality.

GTHR is a company with many years of experience. We cooperate with many institutions, experts and researchers. We realize that the lack of communication leads to the spread of a lot of false information, and unnecessary emotions grow, worrying the wider community of the municipality of Oława.

We would like to emphasize that it is our duty and privilege to take care of the environment and the comfort of the residents of the Oława municipality, so we will do everything we can to address the concerns of residents.

We would like to provide factual and concrete information to the residents of Godzikowice and the entire municipality. Please feel free to ask questions directly and raise any concerns via email: gthr@gthr.pl.

Battery capacity requirements of major automakers (GWh)

The auto industry is currently undergoing a revolution. Major automakers have launched their electric vehicle roadmaps to meet zero-emission requirements. Volkswagen Group will introduce 80 new electric vehicles by 2025, which means it will need more than 150 gigawatt hours (GWh) of battery capacity per year by 2025.

The battery is a key component of an electric vehicle. Electrification of vehicles will require a large number of batteries. Top battery manufacturers will not hesitate to increase their capacity in Europe.

Electrolyte is a necessity for batteries. Electrolyte volume will increase by ~ 22% per year, according to Fuji Keizai estimates.

What is the investment process of the factory (GTHR - Guotai-Huarong) in terms of obtaining the necessary environmental approvals and the safety of Godzikowice residents?

The investment process of our factory (GTHR - Guotai-Huarong) has been going on for more than a year. During this time, we have answered a number of very detailed questions addressed to us by all the authorities interested in the investment. As a reminder, the main task of these authorities is to take absolute care of safety and the environment. During this time we determined what fire protection and grounding systems we would use. These were prescribed by the authorities and designed and confirmed by certified institutions.

We have also taken a number of additional measures to address possible safety concerns, and our entire production process has been subjected to a HAZOP procedure by a certified Polish company. We are now at the end of the official road and our explanations have cleared up most of the previous doubts about possible risks.

How do you intend to dispose of unnecessary substances from production? What will happen to the substance 1,3-propane sultone?

Our production line is an airtight technology, and the processes inside are carried out in a nitrogen (inert gas) atmosphere. We will have a ventilation system and a VOC disposal system to collect all used gases and decompose organic substances into harmless substances. We will also have our own wastewater treatment plant to ensure effective treatment of these substances. Only in the next stage will we transfer them to the local wastewater treatment plant. Note that in the wastewater treatment process, 1,3-propane sultone completely disappears. No special chemical processes take place there except for the mixing of selected substances.

We will also implement all measures to prevent direct contact between employees and raw materials - this is our obligation under very strict regulations. Employees will have to undergo special training beforehand in order to work for us. The safety of people as well as the environment is of paramount importance to us.

What are the safety processes at a GTHR factory? Can failures occur in the factory?

We have been focusing on electrolyte production for more than 17 years, and the current factory has been operating without any problems since the beginning. No accident has ever occurred there. In addition, every employee at our factory in China is subject to systematic medical tests and examinations (at least once or twice a year), and the results have never shown any signs or symptoms to worry about. We will introduce similar checks in Poland.

At our factory in Godzikowice, we will design and build special structures for possible leaks for each container storing raw materials and products. We will also create a fire protection system, which will be designed and certified by Polish fire experts. Even if such an accident were to occur, the mixture of water and raw material would be collected by no-drain tanks and would be transferred to an emergency reservoir, and then degraded by a wastewater treatment plant.

Is the GTHR plant prepared for a potential industrial accident?

We have designed a full set of tools to manage safety in the event of such accidents, and have prepared a set of relevant rules and regulations, including a plan for on-site disposal of the substance. The storage capacity of raw materials will be completely controlled by specialized safety monitoring equipment.

Residents are protesting the construction of an electrolyte plant in Godzikowice, fearing the harmful processes that will take place there. Are their concerns justified?

Our production process for non-aqueous electrolyte mainly involves transferring and mixing various raw materials in nitrogen-confined lines, controlling the production procedure in a low-temperature environment, and finally delivering our product to customers. Along with the basic mixing process, an adsorption and filtration process is used to improve the quality of the product. As we have already mentioned, the production process in our plant is only physical mixing. We want to emphasize that chemical reactions will not take place here. As well as processes: high pressure and high temperature, which will never take place in our production.

According to informal information, one of the substances used will be nitrile from which, as a result of smoking, hydrogen cyanide is emitted. Is this true?

This is a very big misunderstanding. Our products will be supplied mainly to LG Chem, where they will be used in the production of batteries used in electric vehicles, which by their very nature do not require the inclusion of this substance. Nitrile is therefore a substance that is completely unnecessary for our process. As a result, nitrile is not among the substances we will use. We will never use it in Poland.

What GTHR's communication with residents will look like?

We are eager to communicate with everyone who is concerned about safety issues caused by the construction of our plant. We realize that a lack of communication and answers to safety-related questions lead to a lot of misunderstandings, so we will do everything we can to alleviate residents' concerns. In the future, both during construction and once work begins, we will want to show everyone interested in the details of the production taking place at our factory. On the other hand, there is really no cause for concern when it comes to environmental and human safety issues. The plans for our presence in Godzikowice are not only about production. We want to get involved in the daily life of the municipality and cooperate with residents on various local projects. We are already getting a lot of questions from residents about working at our factory, and we are very pleased with this interest. Once again, we would like to thank the authorities of Poland and the Oława municipality for inviting us to be here.

We present to you a letter from Professor Jerzy Buzek to the Opole University of Technology, in which he speaks very positively about future Sino-Polish cooperation on electromobility in Poland.

“Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,

European Union countries, including Poland, have been making efforts to reduce greenhouse gases in power generation, industry and transportation for years. Our country has already achieved much in the field of transformation to a low-carbon economy, introducing modern technological solutions in the coal power industry, as well as increasing the share of renewable energy sources in the country's energy mix. This would not have been possible without adequate support from EU programs focused on research and innovation.

However, another challenge lies ahead. It should be borne in mind that one-fifth of CO2 emissions in Europe come from transportation, which is the main source of pollution in our cities, hence the need to promote electric-powered transportation in the European Union and in Poland. Both the European Union and Poland are betting on the development and popularization of the electric car sector and the necessary infrastructure (charging stations, energy storage technologies).

The electromobility development plan prepared by the Ministry of Energy assumes that by 2025 there will be one million electrically powered cars on Polish roads. However, the program itself to stimulate electromobility development must not focus only on the production of electric cars and buses. What is important here is research and development that will allow Polish companies to compete in international markets. Electromobility, the development of low-emission and sustainable transport, is an important item of the Horizon 2020 program currently being implemented - the largest EU program in the field of innovation and development. The European Union is working on the next Framework Program - Horizon Europe 2021-2027, which is expected to allocate €100 billion for research and development.

When talking about the development of electromobility in Europe, it is impossible not to draw on the experience of other European and non-European countries. The world leader in the production of hybrid and battery-electric cars is China, which is successfully entering European markets. The memorandum on Polish-Chinese cooperation in the field of electromobility, signed in 2017, can be the first step in creating a platform for cooperation between companies and research institutions and cooperative research and technological development.

Taking into account the new perspective of the distribution of EU funds for research and development, I would like to ask you whether your institution is involved in the development of electromobility (research, development, production, assembly) and whether the undertaken or planned cooperation with countries outside the EU (China, South Korea, Japan).

Prof. Jerzy Buzek
Chairman of the European Parliament's Committee on Industry, Research and Energy.”