SHENZHEN - An aquaculture demonstration project that harnesses liquefied natural gas (LNG) cold energy has recently begun operation in South China's Guangdong province.

The project, being carried out by the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), is located at the Dapeng LNG receiving terminal in Dapeng Bay off Shenzhen.

The project uses cold energy produced during the heat exchange between seawater and LNG at minus 160 degrees Celsius or even lower to raise fish, particularly the high-priced species that thrive in low-temperature seawater.

In 2023, the Dapeng terminal processed over 8 million tons of cold energy, and discharging it directly into the ocean would be a waste, said Hao Yunfeng, president of the Guangdong Dapeng LNG Company Ltd. He added that a modern cold energy aquaculture area has been installed within the LNG terminal, combining green energy with aquatic production.

The demonstration project has reached an annual output capacity of 50,000 kilograms of aquatic products, and the usage of cold energy is projected to save 1.97 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, while reducing CO2 emissions by 1,800 tons, Hao said.

Moreover, the use of cold energy in rearing fish and shrimps which sell at over 100 yuan ($13.9) per 500 grams at market prices, is expected to reduce the overall costs by about 30 percent, Hao added.