The 100,000 tons per year liquid sunlight project of China Coal Ordos Energy Chemical Co., Ltd. is expected to come online on September 30

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The 100,000-ton per year liquid sunlight project of China Coal Ordos Energy Chemical Co., Ltd. is located in Wushen Banner. It utilizes the \"100,000-ton scale liquid sunlight green methanol technology\" – a technology with independent intellectual property rights in China – developed through collaboration between China Coal Ordos Energy Chemical Co., Ltd. and the team led by Academician Li Can from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. This technology relies on electricity generated from renewable sources such as solar and wind energy to electrolyze water and produce green hydrogen; the carbon dioxide emitted by chemical processing units is then purified, and this carbon dioxide along with green hydrogen is used to produce methanol, thereby enabling large-scale utilization of green electricity and green hydrogen as well as the resourceful use of carbon dioxide. The project was originally scheduled to be completed in October 2026, and it includes a 625 MW wind and solar renewable energy power generation facility, a hydrogen production facility capable of producing 21,000 tons per year through water electrolysis, a carbon dioxide capture and purification facility with an annual capacity of 150,000 tons, a methanol production facility that uses carbon dioxide and green hydrogen, as well as various supporting infrastructure. The project commenced in July 2024, with Hualu Engineering acting as the EPC general contractor, while Sunlight/Siemens CRCC won the bid for the electrolyzers involved in this project. Currently, the 35kV methanol combined substation was topped out in August, completing the construction of this key power supply hub. On July 1, 2025, the funding for the 100,000 tons per year methanol production project using liquid sunlight, carbon dioxide, and green hydrogen, carried out by Hualu Engineering Technology Co., Ltd. for China Coal Enerchemical, has been secured. The IGBT-based hydrogen generation systems and thyristor-controlled hydrogen generation systems required for this project are now being procured through open bidding. On July 10, the photovoltaic power generation and hydrogen production units of the 100,000-ton \"Liquid Sunlight\" – methanol production via carbon dioxide and green hydrogen – technology demonstration project submitted by China Coal Ordos Energy Chemical Co., Ltd. were re-approved for registration. It is understood that at present, the equipment for the hydrogen production plant using water electrolysis, the main framework of the hydrogen production plant, and the plant for producing hydrogen by synthesizing carbon dioxide from methanol have all been completed, with pipeline prefabrication being around 50% done as well. As planned, the entire project is expected to undergo centralized commissioning in April to May 2026, followed by purging and joint testing of the individual test units; qualified methanol is set to be produced by September 30 in line with the established goals. The project consists of four core units: 625MW wind and solar power generation (400MW photovoltaic + 225MW wind power), 21,000 tons per year of green hydrogen production (36 alkaline electrolyzers with a capacity of 1,200 Nm³/h, along with a hydrogen storage capacity of 220,000 Nm³), 150,000 tons per year of carbon dioxide capture and purification, and 100,000 tons per year of methanol production from green hydrogen and carbon dioxide, along with supporting auxiliary facilities. Technologically, the project utilizes zinc-zirconium solid solution catalysts with fully independent intellectual property rights along with specialized synthesis reactors, enabling a carbon dioxide conversion rate of >98.5% and a methanol selectivity of >99.5%. Once in operation, it can reduce coal consumption by 140,000 tons per year and cut carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 500,000 tons per year.