Shift to green

Huizhou is home to the nation's top base for the petrochemical business - the petrochemical industrial park in the Huizhou Daya Bay Economic and Technological Development Zone - and is striving to become a world-class green hub for the sector. The zone includes a land area of 293 square kilometers, a sea area of 1,319 sq km, and a 63-kilometer-long coastline.

Located in southern Huizhou, the development zone was approved by the State Council in 1993. So far, more than 73 petrochemical projects have been underway there, including 13 Fortune Global 500 companies, such as China National Offshore Oil Corp, Shell PLC, ExxonMobil and BASF. Total investments amounted to 272.3 billion yuan ($37.67 billion). The zone topped China's 30 high-quality development petrochemical industrial parks for the fifth consecutive year in 2023.

Daya Bay authorities place a strong emphasis on environmental protection. Among 74 cities monitored by the nation'senvironmental protectionauthority for air quality, Huizhou's air quality ranked sixth nationwide, with Daya Bay topping the scores among five sites in Huizhou.

"We're committed to the co-development of the petrochemical industry, as well as environmental conservation and protection, emphasizing the importance of both economic growth and ecological sustainability," says Chen Zhicong, an officer at the zone's newly formed Department of Petrochemical Industry Development.

One strategy is to provide standardized public services, such as a stable industrial power supply, steam and natural gas to reduce costs for enterprises and enhance their motivation for energy conservation and emission reduction, he says.

For chemical industries, a stable electricity supply is vital, as any power outage or instability could pose significant safety risks. Public facilities for wastewater treatment and waste disposal are provided, with a 38-km-long sewage pipe built to discharge wastewater into the sea after purification. In addition, a 2.33-sq-km "green belt" of plants was established around the zone, and a monitoring system with cameras and sensors was installed to detect 58 atmospheric indicators.