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New Chinese technology uses seawater and industrial heat to generate fresh water, hydrogen, and mineral-rich brine, with a reported cost below US$ 1 per cubic meter.
China has unveiled an experimental system in Rizhao, Shandong province, that uses seawater and waste heat from nearby industries to produce fresh water, hydrogen, and mineral-rich brine.
According to the South China Morning Post, based on information from the Chinese provincial press, the facility produces water at about 2 yuan per cubic meter, a value equivalent to approximately US$0.28.
The project was announced as an integrated desalination and hydrogen production unit.
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According to the publication, the plant operates with seawater and low-temperature heat released by steel and petrochemical plants in the region, rather than relying solely on conventional electrical energy.
Chinese technology combines seawater, industrial heat, and hydrogen
The facility in Shandong follows a model in which seawater is not only used as a source for obtaining fresh water.
The system also leverages the process to generate hydrogen and separate a brine with potential for industrial use, according to coverage based on data released in China.
In the operation described by the press, waste heat from nearby industries is incorporated into the process.
This reuse reduces the need to dispose of this thermal energy and allows part of the water treatment to be integrated with hydrogen production.
Direct electrolysis of seawater is a technical challenge because salts and other compounds present in the marine environment can accelerate corrosion, damage components, and reduce equipment stability.
Therefore, specialized reports indicate that the Chinese test was followed closely because it involved continuous operation and direct use of seawater.
The system was described as a 110-kilowatt pilot project.
According to Hydrogen Insight, the unit operated for more than 500 hours and produced hydrogen directly from seawater, without the conventional step of desalination before electrolysis.
Cost of desalinated water depends on integrated operation
The figure of about US$0.28 per cubic meter is the main data associated with the project.
However, this cost was presented within an integrated model, where fresh water is just one of the products obtained from the system.
This means that comparison with traditional desalination plants needs to consider the specific conditions of the Rizhao facility.
The use of waste heat, hydrogen production, and the utilization of brine are part of the economic calculation released by the Chinese press and reproduced by international media.
In conventional plants, desalination is usually evaluated mainly by the volume of water produced, energy consumption, and operation and maintenance costs.
In the Chinese case, the project adds other potential revenues to the process, such as hydrogen and materials derived from the brine.
For this reason, the reported cost cannot be treated as a universal rate applicable to any coastal region.
The economic viability depends on the proximity to industrial hubs, the availability of reusable heat, the stability of the equipment, and the existence of demand for the by-products.
Fresh water, hydrogen, and brine come from the same process
According to the South China Morning Post, the unit can process 800 tons of seawater per year and deliver 450 cubic meters of ultrapure fresh water, 192,000 standard cubic meters of hydrogen, and 350 tons of mineral-rich brine.
The same report states that the water obtained could be used for industrial cooling or residential use.
Hydrogen production was also highlighted in the information released.
The reported consumption is 4.2 kilowatt-hours per cubic meter of hydrogen, a figure that indicates performance close to that of conventional electrolysis processes, according to specialized coverage.
Despite this, the classification of hydrogen as “green” depends on the origin of the electricity used in the process.
In technical terms, this label is usually associated with electrolysis powered by renewable or low-emission sources.
When the energy comes from a grid with significant participation of fossil fuels, the environmental assessment requires a specific analysis of the energy mix used.
Brine, in turn, appears in the project as an input for the marine chemical industry.
In conventional systems, this residue requires environmental control, mainly due to the concentration of salts and the method of disposal in the coastal environment.
In the model disclosed in Rizhao, the proposal is to reduce disposal and direct part of this material for industrial use.
The effectiveness of this stage, however, depends on the composition of the brine, the scale of production, and the absorption capacity of the local industry.
Desalination project in Chile has a different design
The debate over Chinese technology is occurring in parallel with the expansion of desalination projects in drought-affected countries.
In Chile, the Coquimbo region has moved forward with a plant intended for human supply and multiple uses, but the project is not the same technology presented in Shandong.
Sacyr Water formalized the award of the Coquimbo desalination plant in April 2026.
According to the company, the project involves an investment of nearly US$ 318 million, an initial capacity of 800 liters per second, and the possibility of expansion to 1,200 liters per second.
The company reports that the work is expected to benefit more than 540,000 people in the communes of La Serena and Coquimbo.
The project is promoted by the General Directorate of Concessions of the Ministry of Public Works of Chile and aims to reinforce the water supply in one of the country’s regions affected by water scarcity.
Infrastructure Finance & Investment also reported that the Chilean Ministry of Public Works awarded Sacyr Agua the contract to design, finance, build, and operate the plant.
The contract provides for an operating period of 21 years from its provisional commissioning.
Chinese companies were mentioned among groups interested in concessions and infrastructure projects in Chile, but there is no confirmation that China Road and Bridge Corporation or China Harbour Engineering Company are participating in the execution of the Coquimbo plant.
The confirmed information is that the desalination plant concession was awarded to Sacyr Agua.
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