CIMC Enric Holdings Limited and its subsidiaries announced that the coke oven gas-to-H₂ and LNG co-production project invested and constructed by Angang CIMC (Yingkou) New Energy Technology Co., Ltd., has officially commenced operations, with a grand inauguration ceremony held in Bayuquan District, Liaoning.

Angang CIMC is a joint venture established by CIMC Enric Investment Holdings (Shenzhen) Ltd., a subsidiary of CIMC Enric and Angang Energy Technology Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Angang Steel Company Ltd. This significant milestone marks substantial progress for both parties as they actively contribute to China's dual-carbon strategy and drive the transformation of traditional industries. It represents a vital step forward in the steel industry's sustainable development, promoting deep integration of industrial advancement with low-carbon and green energy initiatives.

The steel industry, a pillar of the national economy, is a key sector of energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. As the world's largest steel producer and consumer, China's green development in the steel industry is imperative. Recently, the National Development and Reform Commission, alongside other departments, issued the "Special Action Plan for Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction in the Steel Industry". The plan seeks to explore the sector's potential energy-saving and carbon reduction, targeting a reduction of approximately 53 MMtpy of carbon dioxide emissions by 2025 through energy-saving renovations and upgrades to energy-consuming equipment.

Ansteel Group Co., Ltd., Angang Steel's parent company, has set to reduce its total carbon emissions by 30% from peak levels by 2035, positioning itself as one of China's first large steel enterprises to achieve carbon neutrality. Meanwhile, CIMC Enric, a leader in clean energy equipment manufacturing, has established a comprehensive portfolio spanning natural gas, H₂, and other clean energy sources. The strong partnership between CIMC Enric and Angang Steel aligns with global climate change responses and China's energy transition trends, under which the H₂ and LNG co-production from coke oven gas project demonstrates the deepening cross-border cooperation between enterprises. It serves as a flagship project, building a complete end-to-end green industrial ecosystem that integrates resources, storage, transportation, and application, playing a crucial leading role in the green development of the steel industry.

At the resource end, the project produces high-purity H₂ and LNG by separating and purifying coke oven gas—a byproduct of steel manufacturing. This process transforms waste into valuable resources, significantly enhancing added value while aligning with the principles of a circular economy. This project is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 470,000 tons, sulfur dioxide emissions by 174 tons, and nitrogen oxides by 1,344 tpy. Based on Angang Steel's abundant coke oven gas resources, this project will produce 15,000 tpy of blue H₂, tailored to local conditions. Industry reports indicate that H₂ production from coke oven gas can achieve over 88% carbon reductions compared to traditional natural gas-based methods, and over 95% compared to coal-based H₂ production, respectively.

At the end of the application, the H₂ produced can be used for H₂ metallurgy and H₂ fuel cell vehicles, while LNG serves as a cleaner alternative to diesel and industrial coal. This project will meet the clean energy demands of steel mills and surrounding customers, driving upgrades of energy storage and energy-consuming equipment, and H₂ refueling infrastructure. This interconnected clean energy innovation application chain will not only promote the development of the local H₂ and LNG clean energy industry ecosystem but also further achieve energy conservation and carbon reduction.

To better realize a fully-integrated end-to-end industrial ecosystem for clean energy, this project was the first in the country to integrate digital intelligence technologies with energy production, storage, transportation, and sales scenarios, creating a comprehensive end-to-end ecological solution. By deploying state-of-the-art digital management systems, the project enhances productivity and efficiency.

On one hand, automated processes allow for the completion of the production cycle, from raw material input to qualified product output, in just 16 days—substantially faster than the industry average. On the other hand, CIMC Enric's independently developed intelligent interconnected digital platform leverages next-gen digital technologies such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and cloud computing to integrate data from energy production, storage, transportation, and comprehensive energy services for customers, as well as carbon emissions data throughout the entire lifecycle.

By combining situation awareness with model algorithms, the platform ensures operational safety. Additionally, it optimizes cost reduction and efficiency by predicting downstream customer gas demand and adjusting upstream production plans in real-time, maximizing benefits while enhancing energy usage and conservation efficiencies for steel mills and downstream customers. This initiative injects strong momentum into the digital transformation of the steel industry.

Wang Jun, Chairman of Anshan Iron and Steel Group Co., Ltd. and Angang Steel, said, "As a Fortune Global 500 company, Ansteel Group is committed to its social responsibilities and the promotion of green manufacturing. The completion and launch of production for this project marks a significant milestone in our journey toward sustainable development. In the future, we will integrate capabilities across the entire natural gas and H₂ value chain—from production to supply and sales. We will also implement the 'Ansteel Group Declaration on Carbon Peak and Carbon Neutrality' to continue fostering a green circular economy and build a robust ecosystem for regional clean energy supply and application."

Yang Xiaohu, Executive Director and President of CIMC Enric, said, "The successful commissioning of the Angang CIMC project is a significant achievement in both parties' commitment to the national dual-carbon strategic goals. This project is also a key strategic demonstration for CIMC Enric's expansion of the clean energy upstream industry chain. Currently, our business model for the co-production of H₂ and LNG from coke oven gas has been successfully replicated multiple times. In the future, we will continue to actively seek collaboration opportunities with large steel mills in China, supporting the green transformation and sustainable development of the steel industry, and promoting the large-scale application of the H₂ industry to achieve both social and economic benefits."