China's first coal-to-chemicals project with green hydrogen begins commercial operations

According to a report by state-run CCTV, China's first project for coal-to chemicals that integrates green hydrogen began commercial operations on Friday.

Cao Guoan, station manager at CCTV, said that the project, operated by state-owned energy producer Datang Group is expected to produce 70,59 million cubic meters of hydrogen per year.

He didn't say how much coal the plant currently produces or if it will also produce other chemical derivatives. Coal chemical plants convert coal into syngas, which is a mixture of carbon monoxide with hydrogen. This can then be transformed into ammonia or olefins.

According to the report, the plant in Inner Mongolia’s Duolun includes a 150 megawatt wind and solar power plant which also sends any surplus electricity back to the grid.

CCTV reported that the plant had been designated as a national demonstration project for hydrogen by the energy regulator and was "a replicable example of green transformation in the coal chemicals sector."

China is one the few countries that convert coal at a large scale into chemicals, oil, and gas. This growing industry is helping China reduce its reliance on imported goods that could be cut-off in a war.

The growth of the emissions-intensive sectors is one reason China has fallen behind its carbon intensity target for 2025, which is driving efforts to curb emission. (Reporting and editing by Sonia Cheema; Colleen howe)

(source: Reuters)