China's Daily Desalinated Seawater Output Exceeds 3 Million Tons

China's capacity for desalination of seawater has reached over 3 million tons per day, with the industry's annual growth rate maintained between 10% and 15%. This production milestone was announced alongside the official commissioning of a new national public test platform for seawater desalination equipment in Tianjin.

The platform, established by the Tianjin Research Institute for Water Desalination and Comprehensive Utilization under the Ministry of Natural Resources, is located in the Lingang area of the Tianjin Port Free Trade Zone. Spanning over 2,000 square meters, it is designed to fully simulate the operational conditions and water quality found in actual desalination plants.

Equipped to test critical performance indicators such as energy consumption, water output quality, and equipment lifespan, the platform will provide authoritative testing reports. These reports are intended to guide engineering design and product development, addressing a growing industry need for standardized testing environments.

The development comes after China achieved domestic production of seawater desalination equipment in 2023, a move reportedly reducing equipment costs by approximately 30% compared to imported alternatives. As of early 2024, China operated 158 desalination facilities with a combined daily capacity of 2.856 million tons.

Notable projects include the Tianjin Nangang Industrial Zone's desalination facility, producing 150,000 tons daily, and a Shandong facility utilizing waste heat from power plants, yielding 108 million tons annually. Research also continues into new applications, including direct seawater electrolysis for hydrogen production.