Yichang宜昌
Tier 3 - Medium CityThe gateway to the Three Gorges Dam and a chemicals-to-clean-energy transformation story. Yichang is shutting down polluting chemical plants along the Yangtze and replacing them with photovoltaics, advanced materials, and green chemistry.
GDP
$52B
2023
Population
3.92M
residents
Industry Output
¥33B
all sectors combined
Sectors Active
2
frontier tech sectors
Key Facts
- Located at the Three Gorges Dam, accessing abundant and cheap hydropower
- Major phosphate chemical base transitioning to advanced fine chemicals
- Growing photovoltaic manufacturing leveraging cheap hydroelectric power
- Home to several specialty chemical companies producing battery-grade materials
Manufacturing Sectors
New Energy (Solar, Hydrogen)
新能源
PV manufacturing leveraging hydropower, silicon purification, solar cell production
Advanced Materials
新材料
Battery-grade phosphate materials, advanced fine chemicals, electronic chemicals
History & Context
Yichang's economy was historically tied to the Three Gorges Dam project and the chemical industry that grew around its phosphate mineral resources. In 2018, following Xi Jinping's directive to protect the Yangtze River, the city began shutting down over 100 polluting chemical plants along the riverbank. This forced a dramatic industrial pivot: Yichang is now replacing old chemical factories with photovoltaic manufacturing, advanced fine chemicals, and battery materials production. The abundant hydropower from the Three Gorges provides a cost advantage for energy-intensive industries like silicon purification and aluminum processing.