Taizhou Bay Economic Development Zone Accelerates Green-Energy Gas Island Project

Growing global demand for low-carbon marine fuels is driving interest in green methanol for international shipping, while supplies of EU-certified green methanol remain limited. Against this backdrop, Taizhou Bay Economic Development Zone is accelerating construction of a biomass-to-hydrogen project as part of its Green-Energy Gas Island initiative, which will convert agricultural and forestry waste into clean energy.

At the project site on September 7, workers were carrying out pile-driving operations for the production workshops. Foundation works for the workshops are largely complete, with construction set to move into the superstructure phase. Equipment delivery and installation are also progressing in parallel. The R&D building, analytical building, fire-protection facilities and supporting utilities have been completed, while preparatory procedures for workshop construction and equipment installation are being implemented.

Located in Taizhou Bay Economic Development Zone in Linhai, Zhejiang Province, the project has a total investment of RMB 980 million and will be developed in phases.

The project uses what the company describes as an internationally pioneering biomass-to-hydrogen technology to convert agricultural and forestry waste, including crop straw, into clean-energy products. Phase 1 is scheduled to begin operations by the end of 2027. At full capacity, it is expected to produce 7,120 tonnes of high-purity hydrogen, 50,000 tonnes of green methanol and 100,000 tonnes of green carbon dioxide annually, while consuming 170,000 tonnes of agricultural and forestry biomass waste each year.

The project is being developed by Zhejiang Haichang Gas Co., Ltd., a Linhai-based company with 38 years of experience in the industrial-gas sector. The company has established capabilities in hydrogen and carbon dioxide production and is working with East China University of Science and Technology on industry-university-research collaboration to expand downstream into the green methanol value chain.

“Industrial methanol is widely used by shipping companies today but does not meet EU green-certification standards. Our green methanol meets EU green emissions-reduction requirements, aligns with the development priorities of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan, and contributes to the country’s dual-carbon goals”, said Chen Fang, project manager of the Taizhou Bay Green-Energy Gas Island Biomass-to-Hydrogen Project and assistant general manager of Zhejiang Haichang Gas Co., Ltd.

Green methanol is an important low-carbon alternative fuel for international shipping and can help reduce maritime emissions. Once operational, the project is expected to strengthen Taizhou’s green-energy industrial base and support the low-carbon transition and high-quality development of its marine economy.