Cars Powered By Oceans And Seas? China Turns Salt Water Into Clean Petrol For Just Rs 24

Last Updated:December 08, 2025, 10:01 IST

Salt water has quietly defied science, turning into clean fuel for just Rs 24, a price no superpower could match. The world is now watching the sea rewrite the rules of energy

This discovery offers new hope to countries with access to the sea but limited drinking water and energy resources. (AI Generated)

The world is struggling with a shortage of drinking water and searching for green energy alternatives to petrol and diesel, yet China appears to have addressed both challenges simultaneously.

In the eastern province of Shandong, a groundbreaking factory has begun operating, astonishing both scientists and economists.

Turning Seawater Into Fresh Water And Fuel

At this revolutionary facility, seawater is converted into drinkable fresh water and the fuel of the future, ‘green hydrogen’. Even more remarkable is the cost, only 2 yuan, roughly Rs 24 per cubic metre.

The technology is so inexpensive that it has surpassed countries like Saudi Arabia, renowned for its water-processing expertise, and the United States, recognised for its technological innovation.

According to a report by the South China Morning Post, this facility in Rizhao is the first of its kind globally. It runs entirely on seawater and ‘waste heat’ sourced from nearby steel and petrochemical factories; heat that would previously have dissipated unused.

One Input, Three Outputs

The system operates on the principle of ‘one input, three outputs’. The inputs are seawater and industrial waste heat, and the outputs are:

1. Fresh Water: Every year, the plant processes 800 tonnes of seawater to produce 450 cubic metres of ultra-pure water, suitable for drinking or industrial applications.
2. Green Hydrogen: It generates 192,000 cubic metres of hydrogen annually.
3. Mineral-Rich Brine: Around 350 tonnes of brine remain, which is used to manufacture marine chemicals.

The World’s Lowest Cost Of Production

This plant has set new global records for affordability. In China, production costs stand at about Rs 24 per cubic metre. In contrast, in United Arab Emirates and in water-efficient Saudi Arabia, the comparable cost is roughly Rs 42. In the largest plant in California, the cost shoots up to about Rs 186.

For comparison, tap water in Beijing costs 5 yuan per cubic metre, more than double the cost of processing seawater at this site.

A Breakthrough In Hydrogen Production

Hydrogen is viewed as a clean fuel of the future, but producing it has traditionally required vast amounts of electricity and extremely pure fresh water. Seawater, with its magnesium, calcium, and chloride ions, usually damages equipment by corroding components or coating electrodes.

The new technology overcomes these long-standing barriers. The Rizhao facility has been running continuously for three weeks, demonstrating that the technical challenges have finally been resolved. According to senior engineer Qin Jianguang from the innovative Laoshan Laboratory, this is more than simply filling a hydrogen cylinder, it represents an entirely new way of drawing energy from the sea.

The hydrogen produced here each year is sufficient to power 100 buses for 3,800 kilometres each.

A Ray Of Hope For Coastal Nations

This discovery offers new hope to countries with access to the sea but limited drinking water and energy resources.

By turning seawater and waste heat into fresh water, clean fuel, and valuable brine, the technology could transform the future of both water security and sustainable energy.

News world Cars Powered By Oceans And Seas? China Turns Salt Water Into Clean Petrol For Just Rs 24

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