China’s Sinopec has kicked off the development of a 30,000t/yr green hydrogen project in the Ordos region of Inner Mongolia. The NOC plans to invest RMB5.7bn ($828mn) into the plant, which will also produce 240,000t/yr of oxygen for industrial use.

Sinopec will install 450MW of solar and 270MW of wind capacity to power the Ordos project, as well as 288,000m³ of hydrogen storage capacity.

The plant will feed into carbon reduction initiatives at an adjacent coal processing pilot project and is expected to reduce CO₂ emissions by 1.43mn t/yr.

30,000t/yr – Ordos project capacity

“The project is of great significance to guaranteeing China's energy security, building new energy systems and advancing green energy and low-carbon development in Inner Mongolia, leading towards a new, high-quality development roadmap that prioritises ecological conservation and green development,” says Ma Yongsheng, chairman of Sinopec.

Sinopec currently produces 3.5mn t/yr of grey hydrogen but has made forays into developing green production capacity.

The NOC announced in 2021 that it would develop a 20,000t/yr green hydrogen pilot project in Xinjiang, powered by 300MW of solar energy, which will be used to displace grey hydrogen in existing industrial processes. The plant is expected to start up in June this year.

Regional growth

Beijing targets 100,000–200,000t/yr of green hydrogen production by 2025 in its national hydrogen strategy. And the autonomous province of Inner Mongolia has set its own target of 500,000t/yr of production by the same year.

Sinopec plans to construct a green hydrogen facility in Inner Mongolian city Ulanqab. Chinese metals group Mintal last month contracted Denmark’s Topsoe to provide technology for a 1,800t/d green ammonia plant in Baotu.

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Author: Polly Martin