A rendering of a LNG project in Putuo district in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/WeChat account: china-zjftz]

The construction of two LNG projects on Liuheng Island in Putuo district in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province has been approved, according to an announcement by the National Development and Reform Commission on Dec 7. 

One of the projects is a 10.2-billion-yuan ($1.46 billion) LNG facility funded by Sinopec Group. The facility will include a loading dock, an unloading dock, a workboat terminal and five 220,000-cubic-meter LNG storage tanks. 

The LNG terminal is expected to receive up to 7.18 million metric tons a year, according to authorities. 

The other project is a 9.5-billion-yuan LNG plant by Zhejiang Energy Group that will have a dock, four 220,000-cubic-meter LNG storage tanks and other related facilities. 

The facility is expected to receive 6 million tons of LNG a year. 

Establishing the two projects will play a key role in bolstering Putuo’s clean power industry and guaranteeing the LNG supply in the Yangtze River Delta region, said a local official. 

Putuo has in recent years been tapping its natural resources to build a clean power industrial chain that covers wind power, photovoltaic, liquid natural gas and hydrogen energy. 

The district is currently home to 25 photovoltaic facilities with a total installed capacity of nearly 100,000 kW, and these facilities are expected to produce 100 million kWh of electricity annually. 

Putuo is home to the first wind power plant in the province. The plant produces 700 million kWh of electricity annually. 

The district is also aiming to build a complete industrial chain for hydrogen energy that covers production, storage, transportation and usage. 

A hydrogen refueling station has also been established in the district's Liuheng town. The 13.52-million-yuan ($2 million) station has a daily refueling capacity of 500 kilograms, enough to refuel 100 vehicles.