Industrial lighting in China accounts for approximately 14% of the total electricity consumption in the industrial sector, making carbon reduction in the lighting industry a critical component in achieving China’s carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals¹. Against this backdrop, leading lighting companies in China—represented by Opple Lighting Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Opple Lighting)—are actively pursuing holistic low-carbon transitions to reshape a greener industry landscape.
As a supply chain leader in the lighting sector, Opple Lighting has proactively undertaken a “carbon accounting” exercise with the technical support of Carbon Newture, completing a comprehensive corporate-level carbon inventory. The inventory covered Opple Lighting’s Shanghai headquarters as well as Suzhou Opple Lighting Co., Ltd., Opple (Zhongshan) Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd., and Opple Lighting Electric (Zhongshan) Co., Ltd., spanning the entire year of 2024. It included Scope 1, Scope 2, and selected Scope 3 emissions, and was verified by the authoritative third-party certification body SGS, which issued an official carbon inventory statement.
We had the pleasure of interviewing Mr. Hu Xing, Board Secretary of Opple Lighting, under the theme “In Dialogue with Supply Chain Leaders: Exploring the Green and Low-Carbon Transition of the Lighting Value Chain”. He shared how Opple is implementing its sustainability vision of “Technology-Driven Green Development”, and as a chain leader, how it envisions spearheading low-carbon transitions across the industry.
Founded in 1996, Opple Lighting has consistently upheld its brand philosophy of “Beyond the Light” and is driven by the mission of “Creating Value with Light.” The company is committed to becoming a global leader in smart lighting solutions. With its headquarters in Shanghai and major operational hubs in Zhongshan, Wujiang, and South China, Opple has established a comprehensive industry chain that spans R&D, manufacturing, sales, and services.
01. Breaking through bottlenecks: Low-carbon transition as the new growth driver for the lighting industry
According to recent data², the total output value of China’s lighting industry in 2024 is estimated at 625 billion RMB, showing a slight decline but overall stability. At the enterprise level, industry leaders continue to perform well thanks to technological and cost advantages, but declining product prices and raw material fluctuations have posed challenges. Meanwhile, SMEs are facing survival pressures. The Chinese lighting industry is entering a phase of transitional pains.
How can the industry break through? Green transformation has become a key solution.
“In recent years, the energy-efficient lighting industry has undergone significant change, particularly in rapid tech development and increasingly diversified market demands,” said Hu Xing in a previous interview. Emerging technologies such as LED, OLED, IoT, and AI are pushing the industry toward smart lighting, while governments in Europe, the US, and China are rolling out stricter regulations and policies promoting energy conservation and emissions reduction—accelerating the green upgrade of lighting products.
“Driving a low-carbon transition is not only about survival and growth—it’s also an opportunity to enhance product quality, elevate brand image, and tap into new markets by building green competitiveness,” said Hu Xing.
As the core of the industry value chain, supply chain leaders like Opple are expected to lead the sector’s green transformation.
“As an industry leader, Opple Lighting is committed to ‘Technology-Driven Green Development’ and has deeply embedded sustainability into its development strategy,” Hu emphasized.
02. Forward-Thinking Strategy: Building a Green Ecosystem through “Technology + Industry” Dual Drivers
As a leading enterprise, Opple Lighting has taken an early lead in sustainable development.
A robust governance structure is the foundation for long-term growth and is essential for integrating ESG into core operations. “We’ve built a three-tier ESG governance framework involving the Board of Directors, ESG Committee, and ESG Task Force,” Hu explained. “With this top-down approach and heavy R&D investment, we’ve fully integrated sustainability into the business chain, and we’re working with suppliers through green procurement mechanisms to create a low-carbon industrial ecosystem.”
Opple Lighting ESG Governance Structure. Source: Opple Lighting 2024 ESG Report³
Guided by its ESG framework, Opple is advancing a green ecosystem powered by “technology + industry”, implementing sustainability from data infrastructure to applications to industry collaboration:
Carbon Data Infrastructure: Opple has completed factory-level GHG inventories, and is working on LCA and EPD certifications for its export products.
Technology Deployment: Its Suzhou Park has adopted a “solar + ground-source heat pump” energy matrix, reducing annual emissions by 8,700 tons. Additionally, IoT-powered smart lighting systems optimize real-time energy consumption.
Industry Collaboration: Building a “three-pronged” low-carbon ecosystem — extending a green supplier certification system upstream; delivering “technology + finance” solutions downstream; and promoting low-carbon commuting and electric fleet management within the company.
This year’s organizational carbon inventory across four key subsidiaries, covering Scopes 1, 2, and part of Scope 3, represents a milestone in Opple’s green ecosystem journey. It lays the groundwork for future carbon data enhancement and brand competitiveness.
“Going forward, we’ll focus on smart lighting innovation and expand global partnerships to drive synergy between quality of life and ecological health,” said Hu.
03. Taking responsibility: Advancing into the second phase of the low-carbon transition
Under the national “dual carbon” strategy, Opple Lighting established a GHG Inventory Task Force and partnered with Carbon Newture to conduct inventories across its four subsidiaries. The findings were publicly disclosed in its 2024 ESG Report.
Carbon Inventory Coverage. Source: Opple Lighting 2024 ESG Report³
This is the first time Opple has included Scope 3 emissions, signaling its determination to tackle the more complex challenge of value chain emissions. “Completing the organizational GHG verification marks the successful end of phase one of Opple’s carbon neutrality roadmap and lays a strong foundation for the next phase—implementing, monitoring, and evaluating energy-saving measures,” Hu explained.
Scope 3 emissions are a significant portion of Opple’s carbon footprint, largely generated by upstream and downstream activities beyond the company’s direct control. As such, empowering the supply chain becomes essential.
To prepare for the second phase, Hu outlined several planned actions:
🔘 Promote green delivery systems and build an eco-friendly supplier network with greater transparency
🔘 Implement localized procurement to reduce transportation emissions
🔘 Introduce a Supplier Quality Management Standard to ensure alignment with sustainability goals
🔘 Establish regular communication and training to co-create a low-carbon ecosystem
“We plan to expand the use of renewable materials, conduct product-level carbon footprint analysis, and deepen value chain collaboration. Our Suzhou Park will also be transformed into a net-zero park in phases,” Hu added. “Opple will continue to drive low-carbon transformation in the lighting industry through innovation and systems development.”
“Technology-Driven Green Development” is a philosophy Opple Lighting actively practices. As a chain leader, it has built a green ecosystem powered by “technology + industry,” laying down solid foundations through carbon data infrastructure, technological innovation, and cross-value-chain collaboration.
In closing, Hu emphasized Opple’s commitment to the industry’s green transition:
“We will invest more in low-carbon tech, green standard development, and supply chain decarbonization. We aim to deliver replicable low-carbon solutions and become a benchmark in the industry.”
Opple Lighting is taking tangible steps to lead the global lighting sector toward a more sustainable, low-carbon future.
References:
[1] Guidelines for Carbon Neutrality in the Lighting Industry, Shanghai Pudong Smart Lighting Association
[2] 2024 China Semiconductor Lighting Industry Development Bluebook
[3] Opple Lighting 2024 Environmental, Social and Governance Report
