Release new vitality of green transformation on the Gobi Desert

The ecological background is inherently fragile, the industrial structure that relies heavily on coal resources, and the regional structural pollution in Wuhai and surrounding areas is prominent... These labels have been accompanied by the Etok High-tech Industrial Development Zone in Ordos City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (hereinafter referred to as Etok High-tech Zone) for many years.

How to go on the transformation path of "destroying the old and establishing the new"? In this regard, Etok High-tech Zone made a choice-to achieve synergy and efficiency gains in pollution reduction and carbon reduction as the overall starting point to promote the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development, and explore the coordinated development path and model of pollution reduction and carbon reduction in high-energy-carrying industrial parks.

Today, from the autonomous region's low-carbon demonstration park, to the autonomous region's high-tech industrial development zone, to one of the first batch of pilot units for collaborative innovation in pollution reduction and carbon reduction in cities and industrial parks in the country, with each "new business card", Etok's High-tech Zone is making vigorous progress on the road of "reducing carbon" and "pursuing green", and its development quality is steadily improving.

"Coal City Outside the Great Wall" has built a 100 billion output value park

Built because of coal and prospered by coal, Otok High-tech Zone is a veritable "Coal City Outside the Great Wall." In the past, due to economic backwardness, people believed that "it would rather choke to death than starve to death." In the early days of reform and opening up, small businesses here developed rapidly, and there was a "prosperity" scene where "every village was on fire and every household smoked."

Abundant coal resources play a decisive role in the local industrial structure and energy structure, resulting in long-term high energy consumption per unit of GDP in Etok High-tech Zone. Jia Rui, deputy secretary of the Party Working Committee and director of the Management Committee of Etok High-tech Zone, said,"During the transformation process, we focused on resource-based industries and achieved certain economic benefits in the short term, but it is not a long-term solution. In the long run, the advantageous leading industries of Otok High-tech Zone-high energy-consuming and high-emission industries such as coal and energy and chemical industry-must follow the path of synergy and efficiency reduction in pollution reduction and carbon reduction."

Entering the new century, the country's wave of implementing the strategy of developing the western region has swept across the land of Ordos. Etuoke Banner followed the trend and made scientific decisions to resolutely launch the construction of an industrial park. Since then, industries such as silicon and electricity cogeneration, synthetic ammonia, PVC, coking and downstream products have been launched one after another. After more than 20 years of development, there are currently 164 enterprises settled in the park, including 109 enterprises above designated size. On the basis of the "coal, electricity, metallurgy, and chemical" industries, the park focuses on developing four major industries of "new materials, new energy, new chemicals, and high-end equipment manufacturing" and has ranked among the 100 billion output value parks in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region for three consecutive years.

"The park has now become the world's largest ferroalloy production base and the most competitive cost depression in the domestic chlor-alkali industry. It is also one of the most dynamic and development potential parks in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region." Jia Rui told reporters that today, the industrial parks on the Gobi Desert have formed a complete circular economy industrial chain, and the huge advantages of industrial transformation and upgrading are gradually being released.

"Chain generates gold", transformation and upgrading of traditional industries

In late summer, the sky is high and the clouds are clear. Transport trucks loaded with goods drove into the Otok High-tech Zone. Not far away, there were many factory buildings in the park and the sound of machines rumbling, and the heat wave of development was coming.

Where does the surging green momentum come from? This not only includes accurate judgment to grasp the "double carbon" goal in a timely manner, but also innovative ideas for the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries. Li Zhibiao, member of the Standing Committee of the Etok Banner Committee and deputy flag leader, introduced that in 2023, the plenary session of the Banner Committee reviewed and promulgated the "Several Measures on Supporting Industrial Transformation, Upgrading, and Innovative Development" and arranged 150 million yuan in special funds to guide enterprises to vigorously promote technological transformation, innovation, conservation and intensive development.

Under the guidance of the policy, enterprises will be awarded a reward of 100 yuan for every ton of standard coal saved, a reward of 10 yuan for every ton of water saved, a reward of 10 yuan for every ton of carbon dioxide emission reduction, and a reward of 10 yuan for every ton of solid waste comprehensively utilized. At the same time, rewards and subsidies support enterprises to upgrade their regulations and become bigger and stronger, expand industrial categories, and extend and supplement the chain and strengthen the chain.

The curtain for transformation and upgrading has thus begun. Coking is one of the five traditional industries in Otok High-tech Zone. At present, the agglomeration and development trend of the coking industry has basically taken shape, and the coking cycle industry chain has gradually achieved "chain production of gold".

Jia Rui told reporters that in the past, the park was "mainly coke and supplemented by chemicals", and the three major coal coking by-products of coke oven gas, crude benzene, and coal tar were not reasonably and efficiently utilized. Taking coke oven gas as an example, 400 cubic meters of coke can be produced for every ton of coke refined. However, for a long time, coke oven gas has been emptied and burned in large quantities, commonly known as "lighting lights". This not only wastes resources in vain, but also pollutes the atmospheric environment. "We are determined to make the coking industry better and greener, and further improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions."

As an established coking enterprise, Etuoke Banner Jianyuan Coal Coking Company, Ltd. has a very representative "new butterfly transformation".

According to reports, the 1.2 million tons/year decarbonization demonstration project under construction by the company is the world's first integrated desulfurization and decarbonization project, which can achieve near-zero carbon dioxide emissions. After the project is completed, 100% deep processing of raw coal, clean coal, crude benzene, pure benzene, tar, gas and other products can be realized for personal use, achieving efficient on-site conversion of resources and "eating dry and squeezing clean".

What was once a by-product has transformed into a "main course". Behind the layout of the "coal-coke-chemical-nylon" industrial chain is the true portrayal of coal coking enterprises 'interpretation of the chemical "magic" of "one gram of coal to a bundle of silk, and one ton of coal to a piece of cloth." It is also the firm confidence of Otok High-tech Zone to achieve breakthroughs in the entire industrial chain and cultivate high-end energy and chemical industries.

The "chain" is gaining momentum, and the new energy industry is accelerating

In Etok High-tech Zone, many enterprises stationed in the park aim at high-quality development goals and insist on transforming and upgrading traditional industries with high-tech and advanced applicable technologies, demonstrating the attitude of "leaders" in the industry.

Methanol is synthesized by synthesis gas (the main components are carbon monoxide and hydrogen) under the action of a catalyst. The raw materials for synthesizing methanol mainly come from coal and natural gas. Now, Otok High-tech Zone has created the country's first methanol-production project from silicon-manganese tail gas, opening up an industrial path for the recycling and utilization of silicon-based alloy smelting waste tail gas.

"The project of producing 120,000 tons of methanol from submerged arc furnace tail gas of Ordos Carbon and Hydrogen Energy Technology Co., Ltd. can recover 300 million cubic meters of silicon-manganese tail gas every year. The production cost is 60% of coal-to-methanol and 40% of natural gas-to-methanol. The comprehensive energy consumption per unit of product is low, and direct carbon dioxide emission reduction can be achieved by 170,000 tons/year." Gao Yanping, executive deputy general manager of the company, said.

In order to further reduce emissions and promote the coordinated development of enterprises, the park introduced a food-grade carbon dioxide processing enterprise Inner Mongolia Tonghui Tianke Gas Co., Ltd. to collect carbon dioxide gas emitted from the silicon-manganese tail gas to methanol project again and produce and process it into food-grade carbon dioxide, achieving zero carbon dioxide emissions in the entire industrial chain.

Etok High-tech Zone is seizing the "double carbon" opportunity. While promoting the utilization of carbon dioxide resources to inject "green energy" into development, it is also striving to find a new green development path of "replacing green electricity in the park."

The reporter walked into Kaer Power Technology Co., Ltd. and saw that new energy heavy trucks were charging not far away. The power source of the new energy heavy trucks came from the "green electricity" generated by the 200MW renewable energy alternative photovoltaic project of Ordos Multi-Energy Complementary Company. Compared with diesel heavy trucks, it can reduce particulate matter by 6.5 tons and nitrogen oxides by 92 tons every year.

Promote green power substitution at full speed-Focusing on this goal, Otok High-tech Zone has built a million-kilowatt photovoltaic base and planned to build 8.4GW of new energy, providing a solid guarantee for green power to "ensure supply." Infinite "scenery" continues to reduce carbon and increase storage in the park. Major industrial projects such as high-purity crystal silicon, new energy batteries, and anode materials have been implemented one after another, and the new energy industry chain has burst into new vitality.

Electricity has become more "greener" and carbon emissions have become lower. Green electricity-related projects have emerged on the development "map" of Otok High-tech Zone, gaining momentum in the "chain", and the industrial development of the park is becoming more and more resilient.