Sinopec's plant in Xinjiang uses solar power to produce 10,000 tons of hydrogen per year in the initial phase and will gradually increase to 20,000 tons of hydrogen per year.
Spherical hydrogen tanks at the plant in Kho Xa. Photo: CFP
China's largest solar-powered green hydrogen plant began operating after the first solar panel was installed in Kuche, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on August 30. The facility can produce hydrogen without carbon emissions, replacing the old method of using natural gas, according to CGTN .
The new green hydrogen facility is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 485,000 tons per year, marking a breakthrough in China’s efforts to cut emissions. The solar panels cover an area equivalent to 900 football fields at the plant. Thanks to the local climate providing abundant solar energy, the plant can produce nearly 600 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually.
Both the front and back sides of the solar cell can absorb sunlight and produce electricity, increasing the total electricity output by 3-5%. The electrolyzer, a key equipment in hydrogen production, has been upgraded to save space and reduce costs. The project uses 52 electrolyzers with high efficiency and power. Technicians have a self-developed system to ensure a stable solar power supply for hydrogen production.
As the sole petrochemical company of Sinopec Group in Xinjiang, Tahe supplies about 70% of the petroleum resources in southern Xinjiang. However, the hydrogen used in the current refining process emits large amounts of carbon dioxide. Replacing natural gas-based hydrogen production with photovoltaics would make a significant contribution to reducing emissions.
"The two natural gas hydrogen production facilities will be shut down, saving 24,000 tons of natural gas. The next step is to increase solar hydrogen production," said Liu Ziying, deputy director of production management at Tahe. The transformation of the chemical industry is key to achieving the zero-carbon goal. Carbon emissions from the chemical industry nationwide account for about 20 percent of China's industrial emissions.
An Khang (According to CGTN )
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