Foreword
Seawater desalination is a vital solution to water scarcity in coastal regions. It is characterized by high technological sophistication, a long industrial chain, broad economic spillover effects, and significant strategic importance, making it a key direction for the future development of the marine economy. The 14th Five-Year Plan period marks a critical phase for Tianjin to accelerate the implementation of its functional positioning as “One Base and Three Zones,” establish a dual-city development pattern comprising “Jincheng” and “Bincheng,” and promote high-quality development.To foster new momentum for the development of the marine economy, establish a comprehensive seawater desalination industrial chain, achieve high-quality development in the seawater desalination industry, and ensure the sustainable use of water resources in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, this plan is formulated in accordance with the “Action Plan for the Development and Utilization of Seawater Desalination (2021–2025),” the “Several Provisions of Tianjin Municipality on Promoting the Development of the Seawater Desalination Industry,” the “Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development of Tianjin Municipality and Long-Range Objectives Through 2035,”the “14th Five-Year Plan for the Development of Tianjin’s Marine Economy,” and the “Tianjin Water Supply Plan (2020–2035),” among other relevant regulations, and in light of the city’s actual conditions, this plan is formulated.
Chapter 1: Development Foundation and Current Situation
I. Development Foundation
Tianjin is one of the earliest regions in China to engage in the research, development, and application of seawater desalination technology, boasting a solid industrial foundation and a favorable development environment.During the 13th Five-Year Plan period, Tianjin made significant progress in seawater desalination technology R&D, equipment manufacturing, industry cultivation, and policy guidance. Compared with other coastal provinces and municipalities, Tianjin boasts a concentration of innovation resources for seawater desalination, distinctive industrial characteristics, comprehensive technological applications, and urgent development needs. With comprehensive strength leading the nation, it has laid a solid foundation for the high-quality development of seawater desalination during the 14th Five-Year Plan period.
Scientific and technological innovation capabilities have significantly improved. Tianjin is rich in resources for seawater desalination innovation, boasting a range of research institutes, universities, and technology-based enterprises such as the Tianjin Institute of Seawater Desalination and Comprehensive Utilization under the Ministry of Natural Resources, Tianjin University, Nankai University, Tianjin University of Technology, and Tianjin Membrane Technology Co., Ltd., as well as national-level innovation platforms including the National Engineering Research Center for Seawater Utilization and the State Key Laboratory of Membrane Materials and Applications.Since the 13th Five-Year Plan period, the region has undertaken a series of national and provincial/ministerial-level projects focused on seawater desalination technology innovation and industrialization, filing nearly 200 patents. Multiple technologies, including low-temperature multi-effect seawater desalination and membrane material R&D, have reached the forefront of international standards. The Tianjin Seawater Resource Utilization Technology Innovation Center has been approved for establishment, and the main construction of the pilot test zone in Phase I of the Tianjin Lingang Seawater Desalination and Comprehensive Utilization Demonstration Base has been completed. Overall, Tianjin maintains a leading position domestically in seawater desalination technology R&D.
The foundation for equipment manufacturing is solid. Tianjin is home to a range of enterprises and institutions engaged in seawater desalination equipment manufacturing, design consulting, engineering contracting, inspection and testing, and comprehensive utilization, with a relatively complete industrial chain spanning upstream, midstream, and downstream sectors.During the 13th Five-Year Plan period, seawater desalination equipment was designated as a key development area within marine engineering equipment. Represented by companies such as Tianjin Membrane Technology Co., Ltd., the sector demonstrates significant advantages in ultrafiltration membrane fabrication, the production of seawater treatment chemicals, and the design of small-to-medium-sized desalination units. These enterprises hold a substantial market share domestically, with some products matching international standards in performance. This establishes the foundation and conditions necessary to build a complete seawater desalination industrial chain and achieve high-quality industrial development.
The scale of desalination projects ranks among the top in the country. Tianjin is the only region in China where all three mainstream desalination technologies are in use. It currently operates three desalination plants with a combined capacity of 306,000 tons per day, accounting for 18.5% of the national total and ranking among the top in the country.The 2×3,000-ton-per-day multi-stage flash (MSF) desalination project at Dagang Power Plant, the 2×100,000-ton-per-day low-temperature multi-effect distillation (LT-MED) project at Beijiang Power Plant, and the 100,000-ton-per-day reverse osmosis (RO) desalination project at Dagang Xinquan are currently the largest MSF, LT-MED, and RO desalination projects in China, respectively, representing a comprehensive range of technological applications.
Comprehensive utilization is a distinctive feature. The treated water from Tianjin’s desalination projects is primarily used for industrial purposes, with a small portion supplied to the municipal water network.As one of the nation’s first pilot units for the seawater desalination industry, the Beijiang Power Plant was the first to supply desalinated water to the city’s municipal water network. Leveraging the Hanggu Salt Field, it has developed industrial applications such as salt production from brine and the extraction of bromine and magnesium from seawater, forming a circular economy industrial chain encompassing “power generation—seawater desalination—salt production from brine—land reclamation—resource recovery and reuse of waste.” This initiative has served as a model for the entire country.
The industrial environment continues to improve. During the 13th Five-Year Plan period, seawater desalination was identified as a development priority and incorporated into multiple municipal plans and programs, including those for building a “Marine Power City” and promoting “Science and Technology for the Sea.” The Tianjin Port Free Trade Zone introduced subsidy policies to support seawater desalination projects aimed at meeting water supply needs, actively fostering a favorable industrial environment and strongly supporting the construction of the Tianjin Lingang Marine Economic Development Demonstration Zone.In 2020, the first batch of 47 founding members—including the Tianjin Institute of Seawater Desalination and Comprehensive Utilization under the Ministry of Natural Resources, Harbin Electric Group Co., Ltd., and China Urban and Rural Holdings Group Co., Ltd.—established the Tianjin Seawater Desalination Industry (Talent) Alliance in Binhai New Area. This alliance has built a development platform to deepen the integration of all links in the seawater desalination industrial chain and attract various advantageous resources to Tianjin.
During the 13th Five-Year Plan period, although Tianjin made significant progress in advancing the development of the seawater desalination industry, some issues remain in areas such as enhancing innovation capabilities, building industrial chains, scaling up applications, and innovating institutional mechanisms, which require concrete solutions.These challenges are primarily manifested as follows: First, research institutes and universities based in Tianjin have not fully leveraged their role in driving innovation; breakthroughs are urgently needed in key “bottleneck” technologies such as reverse osmosis membranes, high-pressure pumps, and energy recovery devices, and collaborative innovation capabilities need to be strengthened. Second, enterprises are generally small in scale, lacking core technologies and flagship products, and the high-end segments of the industrial chain remain relatively weak. Third, the actual capacity utilization rate of existing seawater desalination projects is low, and there is a poor match between production capacity and existing water supply facilities and application scenarios.fourth, the capacity of salt fields is becoming increasingly saturated, making it urgent to conduct pilot projects and monitoring for the discharge of brine into the sea, and to explore adjustments to brine disposal models; fifth, policy safeguards still need improvement, and policy bottlenecks regarding the integration of desalinated water into municipal water supply systems and the discharge of brine into the sea must be urgently addressed.
II. Current Situation
During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the development of Tianjin’s seawater desalination industry faces significant opportunities and severe challenges. Regarding opportunities, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Natural Resources jointly issued the “Action Plan for the Development and Utilization of Seawater Desalination (2021–2025).” Developing seawater desalination is a crucial means of increasing water supply and optimizing the water supply structure, and it holds significant importance for alleviating water resource constraints in China’s coastal regions and ensuring sustainable economic and social development.Tianjin boasts a long history of seawater desalination, strong technical capabilities, and a solid industrial foundation. Vigorously developing the seawater desalination industry can resolve water resource bottlenecks hindering the sustainable economic and social development of Tianjin and the broader Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, thereby providing water security guarantees for the in-depth implementation of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei coordinated development strategy.Developing seawater desalination can promote the growth of related industries in new materials and equipment, such as membrane materials, energy recovery devices, and high-pressure pumps. It serves as a concrete measure to implement the National Seawater Desalination Action Plan (2021–2025) and is a key driver for upholding the city’s manufacturing-oriented development strategy and realizing Tianjin’s positioning as “one base and three zones.”In terms of challenges, the world today is undergoing a once-in-a-century transformation. A new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation is accelerating, and competition in seawater desalination innovation is becoming increasingly intense. Technologically advanced nations have established technical barriers and monopolies in key core technologies and equipment for seawater desalination.At the same time, coastal provinces and municipalities such as Shandong and Zhejiang are leveraging their unique characteristics to intensify support for seawater desalination through planning and policy guidance, industry-academia-research-application collaboration, and dedicated funding, leading to increasingly fierce regional competition.
Facing these new opportunities and challenges, Tianjin should thoroughly implement the major strategic decisions of the national “14th Five-Year Plan,” firmly seize this significant historical opportunity, clarify its positioning, and plan its development strategy. Taking the expansion of domestic demand as a strategic starting point and fully leveraging its advantageous resources, Tianjin should achieve innovative breakthroughs in core technologies, equipment manufacturing, industrial clustering, and the cultivation of leading enterprises to promote the high-quality development of the seawater desalination industry and foster new momentum for the marine economy.
Chapter 2: General Requirements
I. Guiding Principles
Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we will fully implement the spirit of the 19th CPC National Congress and all plenary sessions of the 19th CPC Central Committee. We will thoroughly implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important requirements of “focusing on three key areas” regarding Tianjin’s work, as well as his series of important instructions and directives. We will fully, accurately, and comprehensively implement the new development philosophy,implement the requirements for high-quality development, take application scenarios as the driving force, focus on fostering and strengthening the domestic seawater desalination industry, lead with the manufacturing of domestic seawater desalination equipment, attract superior domestic and international resources to Tianjin, build a complete seawater desalination industrial chain, overcome bottlenecks in key core technologies, institutional mechanisms, and policies, promote the high-quality development of the seawater desalination industry, establish the “Tianjin Model,” and drive the development of the national seawater desalination industry.
II. Basic Principles
— Adhere to innovation-driven development. Strengthen the integration of the desalination innovation chain and industrial chain, undertake research and development of key core technologies, overcome “bottleneck” technologies, enhance scientific and technological capabilities, and provide technological support for the high-quality development of the industry.
— Adhere to cluster-based development. Focus on fostering the independent manufacturing of desalination equipment, undertake efforts to “fill gaps, strengthen, and extend” the industrial chain, attract and cultivate a group of leading enterprises, build a complete industrial chain, and drive the clustered development of the industry.
— Adhere to demonstration-led development. Combine government guidance with market-based resource allocation to construct large-scale seawater desalination projects, industrial parks, and test sites; improve the supporting policy framework; promote the diversification of seawater desalination application scenarios; and establish the “Tianjin Model” for seawater desalination applications.
— Adhere to a demand-oriented approach. With supply-side structural reform as the main focus, promote the alignment of supply and demand and the sharing of resources, foster and expand the seawater desalination industry, establish coordination mechanisms, and create a favorable industrial ecosystem.
III. Development Goals
During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, we will leverage Tianjin’s solid industrial foundation and first-mover advantage in seawater desalination, target the cutting-edge of global seawater desalination technology, overcome “bottleneck” technologies, develop equipment manufacturing, and build a complete industrial chain. We aim to establish a national hub for seawater desalination technology innovation and an equipment manufacturing base, thereby forming a national-level seawater desalination industrial cluster;We will accelerate the large-scale application of seawater desalination, expand application scenarios, and construct demonstration projects to make desalinated water a strategic emergency water source for the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, and establish a national seawater desalination demonstration city.
——Continuously enhance innovation capabilities and significantly improve desalination efficiency. Establish a national-level innovation platform, overcome 1–2 “bottleneck” technologies in seawater desalination, and significantly boost collaborative innovation capabilities among industry, academia, research institutions, and end-users. Achieve significant improvements in the stability, reliability, and cost-effectiveness of core materials and equipment; reach internationally advanced levels in energy and material consumption as well as system integration; achieve international leadership in certain fields; and establish a national hub for seawater desalination technology innovation.
——The industrial chain is essentially complete, and industrial agglomeration continues to strengthen. A comprehensive seawater desalination industrial chain will be established, forming a high-quality industrial system encompassing the production of key materials and equipment, integrated equipment manufacturing, engineering design and construction, and the comprehensive utilization of brine. Well-known brands for indigenous seawater desalination technologies and equipment manufacturing will be cultivated, with 1–2 leading enterprises emerging in seawater desalination equipment manufacturing and engineering contracting. A national seawater desalination equipment manufacturing base and a national-level seawater desalination industrial cluster will be established.
——Application scenarios are diverse and extensive, and the industry scale continues to expand. Vigorously promote strategic seawater desalination projects and construct demonstration projects. Focusing primarily on point-to-point direct supply to industrial facilities, we will continuously increase industrial consumption and expand the application of seawater desalination in industrial, domestic, and emergency scenarios. The scale of seawater desalination projects will reach 550,000 tons per day, with an annual supply of desalinated water reaching approximately 100 million cubic meters, and the actual capacity utilization rate of seawater desalination exceeding 60%.Desalinated water provides stable and reliable water security to support the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and establishes a brine disposal model suitable for the Tianjin area.
Key Indicators for the Development of Tianjin’s Seawater Desalination Industry During the 14th Five-Year Plan Period
Chapter 3: Building a Hub for Seawater Desalination Technology Innovation
Innovation and R&D constitute the upstream segment of the seawater desalination industry chain and serve as the strategic foundation for the independent, self-reliant, and high-quality development of Tianjin’s seawater desalination industry. By targeting international frontiers, concentrating efforts on overcoming “bottleneck” technologies and equipment, reducing desalination costs, establishing national-level innovation platforms, enhancing original technological innovation capabilities, cultivating a hub for innovative talent, and promoting collaborative innovation among industry, academia, research institutions, financial institutions, and end-users, Tianjin will be developed into a world-class, internationally competitive hub for seawater desalination technology innovation.
I. Breaking Through Critical "Bottleneck" Technologies and Equipment
Leveraging research institutes and universities such as the Tianjin Institute of Seawater Desalination and Comprehensive Utilization under the Ministry of Natural Resources, Tianjin University, Nankai University, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, and Tianjin University of Technology, as well as national-level innovation platforms like the State Key Laboratory of Membrane Materials and Applications and the National Engineering Research Center for Seawater Utilization, along with relevant enterprises, we will concentrate efforts on overcoming bottleneck technologies and equipment in seawater desalination.We will undertake research and development efforts for key equipment such as reverse osmosis membranes, high-pressure seawater pumps, and energy recovery devices to further enhance the performance, efficiency, and stability of domestically produced equipment. We will also develop key technologies and integrated equipment for large- and ultra-large-scale membrane and thermal desalination, as well as green, environmentally friendly, and intelligent seawater treatment chemical technologies and low-energy, high-value chemical resource utilization technologies. These initiatives will enhance the core competitiveness of seawater desalination innovation and R&D in Tianjin and across the nation, establishing a hub for seawater desalination technology innovation.
II. Establish National-Level Innovation Platforms
Support the construction of the Tianjin Lingang Seawater Desalination and Comprehensive Utilization Demonstration Base. Promptly improve the base’s research capabilities and operational mechanisms, accelerate the maturation and iterative upgrading of key technologies and products, and leverage cutting-edge research to establish a national hub for seawater desalination and comprehensive utilization—serving as a leading R&D zone, an innovation-driven demonstration zone, a cluster for equipment manufacturing, and a pioneer zone for open cooperation.Construct a large-scale seawater desalination test facility to conduct inspection, testing, evaluation, and process verification of domestically produced key equipment, materials, and components for large-scale seawater desalination, thereby increasing the localization rate of core materials and equipment. Promote the joint application of the Tianjin Lingang Seawater Desalination and Comprehensive Utilization Demonstration Base and the large-scale seawater desalination test facility for designation as a national major science and technology infrastructure project, filling domestic gaps, building major national assets, and establishing a national-level platform for seawater desalination R&D, manufacturing, and application.Support the Tianjin Seawater Resource Utilization Technology Innovation Center in its bid to become a National Seawater Resource Utilization Technology Innovation Center.
III. Enhancing Original Technological Innovation Capabilities
Aiming at the global forefront of seawater desalination technology, and leveraging the concentration of research institutes in the Beijing-Tianjin region, we will collaborate with renowned domestic research institutes and universities in the field of seawater desalination to further strengthen basic research on heat and mass transfer, process principles, and other related areas. We will continuously enhance the capacity of basic research to support breakthroughs in core technologies, strive to achieve major progress in original innovation, and elevate the comprehensive technological strength of seawater desalination.
IV. Building a Hub for Innovative Talent
Relying on the Tianjin Seawater Desalination Industry (Talent) Alliance, we will fully leverage policy benefits such as the application and recognition of leading talents and collaborative training programs with Tianjin University. We will compile a directory and map of high-level and urgently needed talents, increase talent cooperation and exchanges with other regions in China, and attract global high-end seawater desalination talents to settle in Tianjin. We will support seawater desalination enterprises in applying for designation as leading enterprises in strategic emerging industries to facilitate the introduction of urgently needed talents.Establish a dual-innovation base and incubators for the seawater desalination industry to facilitate efficient matching between talent, projects, technology, and capital, thereby establishing Tianjin as a national hub for the incubation and cultivation of seawater desalination talent. Encourage universities such as Tianjin University and Tianjin University of Technology to develop seawater desalination programs into national first-class disciplines and establish postdoctoral research stations; promote the establishment of a seawater desalination talent innovation and entrepreneurship alliance to build a collaborative platform for industry-academia-research-application cooperation among universities, enterprises, and the region.
V. Promoting the Industrialization of Collaborative Innovation Outcomes
Guided by the principle of “building industries through application and turning knowledge into wealth,” vigorously support the transfer and commercialization of innovation outcomes. Encourage local seawater desalination innovation entities to collaborate with leading domestic and international teams and enterprises to carry out joint research and development among industry, academia, research institutions, and end-users. Identify and catalog all seawater desalination-related manufacturing enterprises in the city, facilitate connections between upstream and downstream R&D institutions and enterprises, promote the local implementation and commercialization of innovation outcomes, and enhance the level of localized procurement and supply chain support within the industrial chain.
We will enhance corporate innovation capabilities and support enterprises in leading the formation of innovation consortia. We will encourage enterprises to increase R&D investment and undertake major scientific research projects. We will cultivate innovative enterprises in a tiered manner, strengthening the development of technology-based and innovative enterprises, and foster a cohort of high-growth seawater desalination enterprises following the “Eaglets—Gazelles—Leaders” model to build a succession of high-tech, high-growth, and high-value enterprises.
Chapter 4: Building a Comprehensive Seawater Desalination Industry Chain
Focus on key links in the industrial chain to strengthen and fill gaps in membrane and thermal desalination equipment, supporting products, engineering design services, and the comprehensive utilization of brine, while expanding the application scope of seawater desalination. Efforts will be made to break through supply bottlenecks in high-end desalination equipment, foster and expand the full industrial ecosystem, and promote the development of a full-chain, full-lifecycle industrial model for desalination equipment manufacturing;In areas such as desalination membrane products, seawater treatment chemicals, comprehensive chemical utilization of seawater, desalination design services, and inspection and testing, we will foster internationally competitive listed companies and leading enterprises, establish a national-level desalination equipment manufacturing base, and form a national-level desalination industrial cluster to provide strong support for the high-quality development of the desalination industry.
I. Expanding the Scale of Membrane-Based Desalination Products and Equipment
(1) Seawater Desalination Membranes and Related Products
Vigorously expand the scale of Tianjin’s seawater desalination membrane industry. Leveraging the city’s relevant enterprises and industrial foundation, we will aggregate resources and attract leading enterprises to overcome the “bottleneck” in the industrial manufacturing technology of reverse osmosis membranes for seawater desalination.Develop hollow-fiber reverse osmosis composite membranes to improve desalination efficiency, and increase the domestic sourcing rate of raw materials for reverse osmosis membranes through collaborative innovation with upstream and downstream enterprises; expand and strengthen traditional strengths in seawater desalination microfiltration and ultrafiltration membrane products, as well as complete seawater desalination pretreatment systems, while continuously improving product quality; and develop new and high-end membrane materials for seawater desalination to continuously enrich the product portfolio.
Guided by existing and new membrane-based seawater desalination projects and O&M application scenarios in Tianjin, attract globally leading reverse osmosis membrane enterprises to establish operations in Tianjin, thereby driving the development of the reverse osmosis membrane industry. Increase policy support to facilitate the establishment of domestic reverse osmosis membrane enterprises with independent R&D and innovation capabilities in Tianjin; support and nurture the growth of the domestic reverse osmosis membrane industry; and establish a seawater desalination membrane manufacturing base for the northern region in Binhai New Area.
(2) High-Pressure Pumps and Energy Recovery Systems
Aiming at the international cutting edge and targeting the “bottleneck” segments and high-end segments of the seawater desalination industry, we will combine collaborative research and development among industry, academia, and research institutions with targeted investment promotion. We will undertake research and development efforts for the manufacturing of high-tonnage, high-flow seawater desalination high-pressure pumps and complete sets of energy recovery equipment, enhance the level of equipment R&D and design, and strive to establish local production and manufacturing capabilities for seawater desalination high-pressure pumps and energy recovery devices in the city.
(3) Small- and Medium-Sized Series of Seawater Desalination Equipment
We will vigorously develop the manufacturing and engineering contracting of standardized small- and medium-sized membrane-based seawater desalination equipment for islands. We aim to establish substantial production and manufacturing capabilities in the following areas: small- and medium-sized standardized seawater desalination units; new energy, intelligent, and modular desalination systems; desalination units for fishing vessels, large commercial ships, and naval vessels; as well as portable desalination units suitable for military, disaster relief, and emergency scenarios.
II. Strengthening the Manufacturing of Thermal Desalination Equipment
(1) Large-Scale Thermal Desalination Equipment
We will cultivate and attract strong equipment manufacturing enterprises, leveraging their production capabilities and Tianjin’s superior port logistics to vigorously develop the manufacturing of large-scale thermal desalination equipment. We will continue to build upon our traditional strengths in the processing and manufacturing of large-scale desalination evaporators and pressure vessels, while actively pursuing domestic and international orders for large-scale thermal desalination equipment. At the appropriate time, we will introduce leading domestic and international enterprises to explore the manufacturing of steam jet pumps and steam compression units for desalination.
(2) Small and Medium-Sized Thermal Desalination Units
Leveraging the city’s design and R&D achievements, we will actively collaborate with relevant manufacturing enterprises to foster the development of production capabilities for a series of plate-type distillation desalination units, multi-energy-coupled desalination systems, and new types of corrosion-resistant, high-efficiency heat transfer materials.
III. Improving the Supply Chain for Seawater Desalination Components
(1) Seawater Treatment Chemicals
Expand the production scale of existing seawater desalination scale inhibitors, defoamers, biocides, and cleaning agents, as well as seawater cooling corrosion inhibitors, scale inhibitors, algal inhibitors, and titanium cleaning agents, while improving product quality;Breakthroughs in the development of eco-friendly corrosion inhibitors, green biodegradable scale inhibitors, non-oxidizing biocides, and other environmentally friendly water treatment chemicals, as well as new anti-corrosion coatings, specialized biological agents for seawater purification, and smart water treatment chemicals; continuously launch new products to enrich the product portfolio and production lines; cultivate a leading domestic provider of specialized solutions for seawater desalination chemicals and establish the largest domestic production base for seawater treatment chemicals.
(2) Supporting Products such as Pipes and Valves
Prioritize the development of cost-effective, eco-friendly pipes for seawater desalination. Encourage local enterprises to enter the seawater desalination sector and introduce clamps, valves, instruments, and CNC systems suitable for seawater desalination systems.
IV. Enhancing Seawater Desalination Engineering Design Service Capabilities
(1) Turnkey Design for Seawater Desalination Projects
Leveraging capital as a catalyst, we will integrate engineering design, EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction), and project operation and maintenance capabilities. We will introduce and establish a globally competitive platform company for the development, construction, and operation of seawater desalination projects, expand global seawater desalination projects, and drive the sustainable development of Tianjin’s seawater desalination industry.
Combining the cultivation of local enterprises with the introduction of leading domestic and international firms, we will further leverage Binhai New Area’s traditional strengths in seawater desalination equipment design, engineering design, and project consulting to establish an internationally renowned leading enterprise in seawater desalination design and consulting. We will further develop EPC services for small, medium, and large-scale seawater desalination projects, striving to achieve breakthroughs in large-scale domestic and international desalination EPC projects.We will enhance the company’s operational and maintenance capabilities in seawater desalination and seawater recirculating cooling projects, comprehensively establishing an integrated, full-process, and full-lifecycle service system encompassing design, construction, commissioning, operation, and maintenance of seawater desalination projects.
(2) Seawater Desalination Inspection and Testing
We will vigorously provide authoritative testing, experimentation, validation, and evaluation services for complete units, key equipment, components, materials, and process technologies in the seawater desalination and water treatment industries to domestic and international industry organizations. Fully leveraging inspection and testing institutions such as the National Quality Inspection and Testing Center for Seawater and Brackish Water Utilization, we will vigorously promote the development of inspection and testing services for seawater desalination equipment and components, water treatment equipment, water treatment chemicals, products derived from the extraction of seawater chemical resources, and comprehensive analysis of seawater and freshwater quality.In conjunction with platforms such as the large-scale seawater desalination test site currently under planning and construction, we will conduct offline and online testing and evaluation of seawater desalination equipment components, including large-diameter reverse osmosis membranes, various forms of energy recovery systems, multi-material heat exchange tubes, and different types of steam jet pumps.
V. Deepening the Comprehensive Utilization of Brine
In conjunction with existing and planned seawater desalination projects, continue to deepen and strengthen traditional strengths in the comprehensive utilization of seawater chemistry. Promote the integration of brine-based salt production, vacuum salt production, and seawater cooling with existing industrial applications. Research, develop, and produce high-quality basic industrial chemical products and high-value-added marine chemical products, including refined salt and high-end calcium, magnesium, and bromine-based products; intensively develop bromine resources to reduce reliance on imported products.Research, develop, and promote efficient, low-energy-consumption processes and equipment for the extraction of bromine, magnesium, and potassium from seawater, continuously improving recovery rates and production capacity while reducing energy consumption. This will support the industrial upgrading of the traditional bromine extraction sector and facilitate the construction of demonstration bases for the cascaded utilization of brine and high-end salt chemical industry bases.
VI. Expanding the Application Areas of Seawater Desalination Technology
Expand the application areas of seawater desalination technology. Vigorously develop general-purpose industrial membranes, anti-fouling membranes, anti-oxidation membranes, and membrane elements, modules, and systems for household use. Promote their application in industries such as drinking water purification, food and beverages, medical and pharmaceutical products, municipal water supply treatment, high-purity water for industrial use, boiler feedwater, ultrapure water for the electronics industry, wastewater treatment and reuse, and material concentration and purification, while continuously expanding market share.
Actively expand into water treatment sectors related to seawater desalination. Closely monitor and timely introduce leading domestic enterprises, encouraging them to focus on areas such as household water purification, process water production, brackish water desalination, reclaimed water reuse, industrial wastewater treatment and zero-liquid discharge, wastewater resource recovery, and reverse osmosis concentration. These enterprises should engage in project investment, engineering procurement and construction (EPC), engineering design, construction, equipment manufacturing, operational services, technology development, and consulting, all centered on membrane-based water treatment.
Chapter 5: Expanding Seawater Desalination Application Scenarios
Vigorously promote strategic seawater desalination projects, fully utilize existing and newly constructed desalination capacity, build demonstration projects, and coordinate the application of desalinated water in industrial and municipal sectors. Promote the use of desalinated water as an emergency strategic water source for the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region to achieve large-scale application of seawater desalination, optimize water usage structures, and enhance water resource security for Tianjin and the broader Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.
I. Accelerating the Large-Scale Application of Desalinated Water in the Industrial Sector
Focus on developing point-to-point industrial supply of desalinated water to provide water for industrial enterprises and industrial parks in the region, prioritizing the fulfillment of new industrial high-purity water demands, and gradually promoting the adoption of desalinated water in new industrial projects where conditions permit. Construct the first phase (150,000 tons/day) of the Nangang Industrial Zone Integrated Desalination and Comprehensive Utilization Project (300,000-ton demonstration project) to advance the large-scale industrial application of desalinated water.Based on the layout of tenant enterprises, construct supporting seawater desalination transmission pipelines and infrastructure to establish a “bus-structured, cluster-based” water supply model. This will provide desalinated water to projects such as the Bohua “Two Industrializations” relocation and renovation project, the Sinopec 1-million-ton ethylene project, and the Huadian combined heat and power project. Strictly enforce the use of desalinated water as the water source for tenant enterprises, gradually ensuring that industrial water demand within the Nangang Industrial Zone is met by desalinated water.Construct a large-scale seawater desalination demonstration facility in the Lingang area of the Free Trade Zone, along with supporting water supply pipelines, to establish a “point-to-point star-shaped and point-based” water supply model. This will prioritize securing industrial water for Bohua Yongli and actively promote the use of desalinated water by surrounding industrial enterprises. Encourage existing seawater desalination projects, such as the Beijiang Power Plant and Dagang Xinquan, to expand their customer base to new industrial users in the surrounding area, building upon their current point-to-point industrial water supply infrastructure.
II. Promoting the Integration of Desalinated Water into the Municipal Water Supply System
Seawater desalination water should be promoted as an effective supplement to the Binhai New Area’s municipal water supply, thereby establishing a multi-source water supply security system. Full consideration should be given to the supply structure, proportions, capacity, and scale of seawater desalination water, reclaimed water, and tap water. The scope of seawater desalination water applications should be expanded, new application scenarios developed, and the water conveyance pressure of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project effectively alleviated.Increase the supply of desalinated water from the Beijiang Power Plant to the municipal water supply network, rationally allocate the proportions of various raw water sources, and promote the use of desalinated water from the Beijiang Power Plant as an alternative water source to replace groundwater extraction in the Yangjiapu area; promote the large-scale seawater desalination pilot project in the Lingang area of the Free Trade Zone to supply water to surrounding industrial parks such as the Central Business District of the Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area, and integrate it into the municipal water supply network at an appropriate time to serve as a supplementary water source for residential use.
III. Storing Desalinated Water as an Emergency Strategic Water Source for the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region
With a focus on serving the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and ensuring regional water supply security, desalinated water will be designated as an emergency strategic reserve water source for the region. In accordance with the needs of sustainable regional economic and social development, desalinated water production capacity from facilities such as the Beijiang Power Plant and the large-scale seawater desalination pilot plant in the Lingang area of the Free Trade Zone will be appropriately allocated during emergencies. Research on long-distance transmission of desalinated water will be conducted, and if necessary, emergency water supply will be provided to the Beijing and Hebei regions.
Chapter 6: Rational Planning of Industrial Layout
Based on the characteristics of each region, with a focus on the Binhai New Area, develop distinctive seawater desalination industrial clusters. Comprehensively enhance Tianjin’s capabilities in seawater desalination equipment manufacturing, technological innovation, service support, and practical application, and establish a national model city for seawater desalination.
I. Establishing a “Seawater Desalination + Circular Economy” Demonstration Zone in Northern Binhai New Area
The northern part of the Binhai New Area primarily encompasses the region north of the Hai River.During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the northern region of the Binhai New Area will prioritize the full utilization of desalinated water from the Beijiang Power Plant to expand the scale, scope, and application scenarios of water supply. It will increase the scale and scope of point-to-point water supply to industrial users and high-end marine aquaculture operators, promote water supply to Yangjiapu and the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City, strive to achieve full water coverage of the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City, meet the water demand of the northern Binhai New Area, and establish strategic reserves for water supply to the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.We will continue to deepen the comprehensive utilization of concentrated seawater, refine the circular economy development model, and ultimately establish a “seawater desalination + circular economy” demonstration zone.
II. Building a Demonstration Zone for Science, Technology, and Innovation Equipment Industry Agglomeration in Central Binhai New Area
The central part of Binhai New Area primarily includes the Central Business District of the Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area and the Lingang area of the Bonded Zone.During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the central region of Binhai New Area will take the Lingang area of the Free Trade Zone as its core. Relying on the Tianjin Lingang Seawater Desalination and Comprehensive Utilization Demonstration Base and the Tianjin Seawater Desalination Industry (Talent) Alliance, it will attract and gather leading domestic and international teams, enterprises, and talent to vigorously develop innovative R&D in seawater desalination and the manufacturing of proprietary equipment. In terms of innovation, the region will conduct R&D, technology transfer, and application demonstrations for major common key technologies and equipment, and overcome “bottleneck” technologies and equipment;construct a large-scale seawater desalination test site, establish a national-level technology innovation center, and build a national hub for seawater desalination technology innovation. In terms of manufacturing, the area will integrate key equipment manufacturing, production of critical components and chemicals, design consulting, and inspection and testing services to foster leading enterprises. It aims to establish a northern seawater desalination membrane manufacturing base, a national production base for seawater treatment chemicals, and a national manufacturing base for seawater desalination equipment, thereby forming a national-level seawater desalination industrial cluster.
III. Building a Large-Scale Industrial Application Demonstration Zone in the Southern Part of Binhai New Area
The southern part of Binhai New Area primarily includes the Nangang Industrial Zone, the area south of the Duliu River, the Dagang Petrochemical Area, and the adjacent Light Textile Economic Zone. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the southern region of Binhai New Area will focus on the Nangang Industrial Zone to vigorously promote the “point-to-point” large-scale industrial water supply application of seawater desalination.The first phase of the new integrated seawater desalination and comprehensive utilization project (300,000-ton demonstration project), with a capacity of 150,000 tons per day, along with a unified regional seawater desalination water transmission and distribution network, will be constructed. This will ensure that the primary industrial water needs of enterprises within the Nangang Industrial Zone are met by desalinated seawater, thereby achieving a large-scale application demonstration of desalinated seawater in the industrial zone. In the Dagang Petrochemical Area, the Dagang Xinquan Seawater Desalination Project will be advanced to provide point-to-point water supply to petrochemical enterprises, and new water supply will be provided to the Light Textile Economic Zone.The Dagang Power Plant seawater desalination project will continue to be primarily for self-use.
IV. Establishing “Science and Technology Innovation + Industrial Services” Support Zones in Other Areas
Other regions include all districts of the city excluding Binhai New Area. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, these regions will primarily rely on research institutes and universities to advance seawater desalination technology innovation. Efforts will focus on overcoming bottlenecks in key technological equipment for seawater desalination, with an emphasis on R&D in cutting-edge, coupled, and integrated technologies, aiming to establish comprehensive technological innovation service capabilities for seawater desalination.By leveraging relevant design, manufacturing, sales, and EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) enterprises, the region will fully utilize its industrial service capabilities to improve the seawater desalination industrial chain, support the development of Tianjin’s seawater desalination industry, and establish a “Science and Technology Innovation + Industrial Services” Support Zone.
Chapter 7: Optimizing the Development Environment for the Seawater Desalination Industry
I. Strengthening the Coordinated Allocation of Desalinated Water
Incorporate desalinated water into Tianjin’s water supply system and include it in the annual water supply plan, with an annual supply volume of approximately 100 million cubic meters, to establish a multi-source water supply security system. Streamline the water supply system, promote the establishment of a unified desalinated water supply enterprise or agency, and encourage desalination plants to sign water supply agreements with water supply enterprises to implement integrated production, supply, and sales operations.
II. Formulating Support Policies for Seawater Desalination
Strengthen incentives for water supply. Explore the establishment of a market-based pricing mechanism for desalinated water, taking into account the costs and benefits across the entire industrial chain—including desalinated water equipment manufacturing—to comprehensively determine the price of desalinated water. Research and introduce preferential electricity pricing policies for desalination enterprises; by the end of 2025, exempt desalination electricity consumption from demand (capacity) charges under the two-part tariff system. Support eligible desalination enterprises in participating in electricity market transactions to reduce desalination costs.Actively plan for the integration of renewable energy generation (such as wind power) with desalination to explore pathways for the green development of the desalination industry.
Establish and improve regulations and standards for seawater desalination. Implement the "Several Provisions of Tianjin Municipality on Promoting the Development of the Seawater Desalination Industry." Improve relevant institutional policies, standards, and regulations for the management of the desalinated water application sector, standardize the municipal water supply process for desalinated water, and ensure that the integration of desalinated water into the municipal water supply system follows established procedures.
Establish a fast-track approval process for projects. Support the development of new materials industries related to seawater desalination—such as desalination membranes and water treatment chemicals—within the Science and Technology Innovation Equipment Industrial Cluster. Further improve the approval and filing mechanisms for seawater desalination projects in the chemical industry sector, and explore the establishment of a fast-track approval process for new projects involving new desalination materials.
III. Improving the Seawater Desalination Investment System and Cooperation Models
Explore innovative project cooperation mechanisms. Explore opportunities for water utilities to directly participate in the investment and construction of seawater desalination projects, coordinate the integration of desalinated water into the municipal water supply system, and leverage its role in peak-shaving water supply and water quality optimization. Support joint ventures and cooperation between new and existing power plants and seawater desalination enterprises to promote combined hydro-power generation; encourage distributed energy comprehensive utilization projects, waste heat utilization projects, and energy-saving projects to participate in seawater desalination construction, thereby reducing electricity and energy costs for desalination.
Establish a diversified investment system. Coordinate the use of special fiscal funds and government investment funds at all levels and of various types, and incorporate funds for promoting seawater desalination into the fiscal budgets of respective levels. Guide social capital to increase investment, support construction projects for high-end seawater desalination equipment manufacturing, and promote the development of the seawater desalination industry.
Strengthen financial support. Encourage financial institutions such as banks, insurance companies, and financing guarantee companies to provide financial products and financing services tailored to the needs of seawater desalination projects. Increase credit support and financing services for projects involving seawater desalination technology R&D, major equipment manufacturing, core material production, and the introduction of high-tech solutions.
IV. Explore Pilot Programs for Brine Discharge and Monitoring
Seawater desalination enterprises shall strictly adhere to relevant laws, regulations, and standards to scientifically determine the discharge methods and destinations for brine generated from seawater desalination in accordance with the law.Enterprises that meet the necessary conditions are encouraged to promote the comprehensive utilization of brine from seawater desalination in a manner suited to local conditions. Pilot monitoring and assessment projects will be conducted around the large-scale seawater desalination test site in the Lingang area of the Free Trade Zone and the integrated seawater desalination and comprehensive utilization project (300,000-ton demonstration) in the Nangang Industrial Zone. These projects will involve long-term, sequential dynamic monitoring and evaluation of key indicators related to the hydrodynamics of the receiving waters, seawater quality, and marine ecological environment.
Chapter 8: Guarantee Measures
I. Strengthening Organizational Leadership
Establish a comprehensive coordination mechanism for seawater desalination. Relevant municipal departments—including those responsible for development and reform, planning and resources, water affairs, finance, science and technology, industry and information technology, and ecological environment—as well as the People’s Government of Binhai New Area shall fully exercise their respective functions to coordinate the resolution of major issues, advance the implementation of plans in a coordinated manner, and promote the high-quality development of the seawater desalination industry.
II. Strengthening Task Implementation
Clarify the division of responsibilities among departments and implement industry management duties. Develop designs for key seawater desalination projects and establish a project reserve pool to support the implementation of the plan through project planning. Strengthen the promotion of project construction to ensure orderly implementation and successful completion. Improve the dynamic monitoring and feedback mechanism for plan implementation, and conduct follow-up analysis and supervision of industrial development.
III. Strengthen Financial Support
Actively seek financial support at the national level through multiple channels. Encourage seawater desalination enterprises to apply for the Tianjin Municipal Special Fund for Intelligent Manufacturing. Explore the establishment of a Tianjin Municipal Special Fund for the Seawater Desalination Industry, prioritizing support for research and development of key core technologies, as well as the construction and operation of innovation platforms, to overcome bottlenecks in technology and equipment and provide technical support for the high-quality development of the seawater desalination industry.
IV. Improving Investment Promotion Policies
Compile a targeted list for investment promotion in the seawater desalination industry and formulate an investment promotion catalog. Focus on leading domestic and international enterprises and high-quality project resources, carry out investment promotion along the industrial chain, and facilitate the establishment of industrial projects suitable for development in Tianjin.
V. Strengthen Public Awareness and Guidance
Strengthen public outreach and science popularization efforts regarding seawater desalination to raise public awareness of water resources, increase societal acceptance of desalinated water, and foster a favorable social environment for promoting the large-scale application of seawater desalination.
