China has surprised the world by presenting a solution to two global problems: energy and water crisis. A state-of-the-art factory established in Rizhao city of Shandong province is converting sea water into green hydrogen (petrol of the future) and drinkable ultra-pure water. The most special feature of this plant is that it does not depend on conventional electricity or fuel. The factory gets its energy from waste heat generated from nearby steel and petrochemical units, which till now was considered useless and was discarded. Due to this, its production cost has reduced significantly.
Experts are calling this technology a “one input, three output” model. It uses seawater and industrial waste heat as inputs, while the output produces three useful things. First, approximately 450 cubic meters of clean drinking water every year, which can be used for both domestic and industrial needs. Second, approximately 1,92,000 cubic meters of green hydrogen annually, which is used as a clean fuel. Third, approximately 350 tons of brine, which is used to make marine chemicals.
In this way, nothing goes to waste in this factory. Every product is reused, which prevents additional burden on the environment. In terms of cost, it costs only 2 yuan, or approximately 24 rupees, per cubic meter to make sea water potable. This is why this technology is considered to be ahead of even advanced technologies like those in America and Saudi Arabia. The green hydrogen production is so high that it can run 100 buses for approximately 3,800 kilometers. For countries surrounded by sea, this technology can become a permanent solution to future water shortages and clean energy crises.