In recent days, I had the opportunity to participate in the “Green Pioneers” media tour organized by the Shandong Provincial Publicity Department. We visited five cities along the Yellow River, including Jinan, Dongying, and Binzhou, to explore innovative initiatives by local businesses aimed at stimulating the “green engine” of sustainable development and to decode Shandong’s industrial transition towards a more environmentally friendly future.

**Transforming Straw into Value: Old Factories Find New Life**

At Jinan Shengquan Group Co., Ltd., towering fermentation tanks lined the pathways, their rusted iron façades telling a story of history. This high-tech enterprise has been focusing on biomanufacturing and chemical new materials for over 40 years, specializing in the research and development of plant straw and synthetic resin.

During our visit, the Director of the Biomass Research Institute, Gao Shaofeng, shared insights about the company’s journey since its inception in 1979. Initially, they used corn cobs to produce furfural and have since undergone several technological breakthroughs. “In 2019, we successfully developed the ‘Shengquan Method,’ an integrated technology for biomass refining, which addressed significant industry challenges, allowing for the high-value utilization of three major components of biomass,” Gao noted.

In the company’s exhibition hall, we were shown a myriad of products including batteries, arabinose, and tissue paper, all derived from their innovative processes. “These everyday items you see are products of the ‘Shengquan Method’,” Gao explained. This technique boasts a comprehensive utilization rate exceeding 95% and enables the production of hundreds of products, effectively tackling the low resource utilization and environmental issues associated with traditional biomass technologies. “Green and low-carbon development is a global trend, and technological innovation is the strongest driving force for enterprises to move towards sustainability.”

**Harnessing Geothermal Energy for Environmental Benefits**

Dongying is renowned for its rich geothermal resources. However, the unique sandstone geology has hindered effective development. In response, the Dongying Economic and Technological Development Zone launched a geothermal clean energy heating project using advanced geothermal cascading utilization technology. This method transports geothermal water to the surface, utilizes it through various heat exchange processes, and then reinjects it into the aquifer under natural gravity.

Li Jiwu, General Manager of Dongying Minghui New Energy Technology Co., Ltd., explained their proprietary technology for sandstone geological pressure reinjection, achieving 100% reinjection of geothermal wastewater. “Traditionally, geothermal water was extracted for heat and then treated before reinjection, sometimes resulting in economic costs and further pollution,” he added. With their closed-loop system, they can “extract heat without consuming water,” achieving a 100% reinjection rate and a 30% increase in thermal efficiency compared to conventional methods.

According to Liu Jianjun, Deputy General Manager of Dongkai Development and Construction Co., Ltd., the project will comprise 22 distributed energy stations, 148 extraction and reinjection wells, and associated systems. This approach could save 11 RMB per square meter in heating costs compared to traditional combined heat and power systems. Once fully operational, the project is expected to reduce coal consumption by approximately 220,000 tons annually and cut carbon dioxide emissions by 550,000 tons, producing both ecological and economic benefits.

**Mining for Value in Waste: Capitalizing on Innovation**

At Binzhou Zhongyu Food Co., Ltd.’s exhibition area, an impressive display of products—including flour, noodles, gluten powder, and protein peptides—filled the space, showcasing their comprehensive wheat industry chain that integrates high-end breeding, contract farming, waste recycling, and ecological farming.

The company’s method of waste utilization attracted a lot of interest from the media group. Fu Rui, the Party Secretary of Binzhou Zhongyu Food Co., shared that their large biogas combined heat and power installation processes livestock manure and waste from 42,000 rural dry toilets in the area. The generated biogas powers electricity production and biodigesters, while the resultant digestate is processed into solid and liquid organic fertilizers. Notably, the liquid organic fertilizer is piped to irrigate 50,000 acres, effectively improving saline-alkali land.

This biogas facility produces around 35 million cubic meters of bio-natural gas annually, generating approximately 67 million RMB in value, which can replace 80,000 tons of standard coal and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 92,000 tons, achieving “zero pollution” and “zero emissions.”

In 2023, Zhongyu took on Shandong’s first voluntary greenhouse gas reduction project in the agricultural sector, leading to several carbon trading agreements. It is estimated that during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Zhongyu’s carbon reduction will reach 3 million tons.