China’s first pilot production facility for \"hydrogen production and magnesium extraction via seawater electrolysis\" has been established in Haikou

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After four years of research and development, Hainan University’s new technology for “reaping two benefits from one resource” has become a reality in Haikou. Reporters learned from Hainan University recently that the country’s first pilot demonstration base for \"producing hydrogen and magnesium by electrolyzing seawater\" is set to begin construction in June, with the experimental site to be completed by the end of the year, providing a \"Hainan model\" for coastal areas across the country. “This technology will focus on addressing the key challenges in the development of the new energy industry. ”Kang Zhenye, a researcher at the School of Marine Technology and Equipment at Hainan University, explained that wind power utilization faces the challenge of having excess electricity when the wind is strong and insufficient supply when the wind is weak. The electrolyzer of this technology can be adjusted flexibly within a power range of 20% to 120%, thereby stabilizing grid fluctuations; it also fits well with Haikou’s local energy strategy. Haikou’s 15th Five-Year Plan aims to achieve 100% local consumption of new energy by 2030. The Hainan Hydrogen Energy Industry Alliance, established this year, designates Haikou as the core area for an innovation support platform for the hydrogen energy industry, with Hainan University serving as the provider of key original technologies. In addition, Haikou and Haida have joined forces to promote the development of a science and technology innovation ecosystem around Hainan University, providing support for the accelerated implementation of these projects. The \"Plan for Building a Science and Technology Innovation Circle around Hainan University\" indicates that the construction of a pilot-scale testing platform will begin in 2026, with the industrial application of this technology in offshore wind power projects to be achieved by 2028. A relevant official from Hainan University said that the base is currently undergoing preliminary design work, with construction expected to begin in June this year. Starting with 10-kilowatt systems, the base will gradually move toward scaled-up verification at 500 kilowatts levels. Modular electrolyzers, product separation systems, and intelligent control systems will be developed to create a closed loop across the entire value chain. The construction of the test site will be completed by the end of this year, enabling verification of 2,000 hours of continuous operation and the development of a replicable technical process package. “It produces 1 kilogram of high-purity hydrogen, while also yielding 15 to 18 kilograms of magnesium hydroxide. ”Kang Zhenye explained that, as verified through 5,000 hours of testing on a small-scale prototype, the purity of hydrogen is ≥99.99%, while the purity of magnesium hydroxide is ≥99.3%. The latter sells on the market for around 5,000 to 8,000 yuan per ton, which can roughly offset the costs associated with hydrogen production. According to analyses, once operational, this facility will use green hydrogen produced at \"zero-cost\" to foster a industrial cluster in Haikou worth hundreds of billions of yuan, while also helping Haikou evolve from a \"policy hub\" into a hub both for technological innovation and industrial development.