Shanghai is spearheading the drive to generate green energy with pioneering projects in support of Shanghai's ambitious goal of becoming a zero-waste city, with a focus on sustainable waste disposal practices.

In response to the city's dual objectives of constructing a zero-waste city and establishing itself as an international shipping center, these innovative projects are dedicated to harnessing green energy sources such as methanol and hydrogen through cutting-edge technologies, creating a closed-loop waste management system.

One of these initiatives is taking place at Songlin Pig Farm in Langxia Town, Jinshan district, where Shenergy Environment is implementing a biogas project. This project aims to convert animal manure into biomethane, which is then fed into the city's gas pipeline as a renewable alternative to conventional petroleum. Since December 2023, the project has been in a testing phase, successfully producing a substantial amount of approximately 100,000 cubic meters of biogas.

Looking ahead, the program is planning to extract natural gas from the pipeline and transform it into green methanol for use by cruise and cargo ships. Shi Pingyang, vice-president of the Shenergy Group, said that if the project proves feasible, a new facility will be established at the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park before 2025. This facility is projected to produce 100,000 tons of green methane annually, providing crucial support for the development of the international shipping center.

In a separate pioneering endeavor, a world-leading sewage treatment and processing project is currently undergoing a trial run at the Bailonggang wastewater treatment plant. This project, a collaboration between Shanghai Chengtou Water Group and CEO Environmental Protection Technology, represents the world's first comprehensive system for producing and storing hydrogen, along with generating valuable byproducts such as heat and electric power.

Operated under standard pressure and temperature conditions, this innovative process effectively converts all waste materials into various resources during production, effectively addressing the long-standing challenge of landfill gas, a major byproduct in the industry. Lu Yufei, vice-president of Shanghai CEO Environmental Protection Technology, revealed plans to integrate a methanol synthesis unit into the system to further produce carbon dioxide and green hydrogen, with the ultimate goal of generating green methanol and establishing a comprehensive low-carbon ecosystem.