Gongda Kaiyuan Supports the Kick-off of South Korea's Saemangeum 15,000 t/a Demonstration Project for Green Methanol Production via Biomass Gasification
On 17 September 2026 local time, the groundbreaking ceremony for the 15,000 t/a biomass gasification-to-methanol demonstration plant at the Saemangeum Industrial Complex in South Korea was grandly held in Gunsan. As the core technology provider of the project, Gongda Kaiyuan Environmental Protection Technology (Nanjing) Co., Ltd. was invited to attend, witnessing the official launch of this China-South Korea green energy cooperation project together with representatives from South Korea’s local government and industry.
△Group photo of Chinese and ROK guests.
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Green Voyage · Groundbreaking Ceremony Site
The groundbreaking ceremony was grandly inaugurated at the Saemangeum Industrial Complex, with representatives from South Korea’s local government and industrial sectors in attendance. Chen Bin, Chairman of Gongda Kaiyuan, and Dong Weijia, General Manager of the New Energy Division, led a team of experts to attend the event upon invitation. Together with Chinese and ROK guests, they witnessed the launch of the project.
△Full view of the groundbreaking ceremony venue
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China-ROK Partnership· Global Business Cooperation Signing
At the ceremony, Gongda Kaiyuan and representatives from HyoJin Pure Methanol and other enterprises jointly signed the Global Business Cooperation Agreement on Green Methanol and Biochemistry. All parties will carry out in-depth cooperation on biomass gasification for methanol production to jointly build a clean energy industrial ecosystem.
△Signing Ceremony for Global Business Cooperation on Green Methanol and Biochemistry
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Project Overview · Bio-Tri-generation Process
The 15,000 t/a biomass-to-methanol demonstration plant whose groundbreaking took place this time is located at the Saemangeum site in Gunsan, South Korea. The construction period spans from 2026 to 2027. Gongda Kaiyuan will supply the complete set of biomass gasification-to-methanol process technology, core equipment fabrication and skid-mounted integrated units for this project. The process package and basic engineering design of the project were completed in the first half of 2026. Detailed design, procurement and manufacturing commenced in the second half of the year. Commercial operation is targeted for November 2027, with products to be supplied to both domestic and overseas markets.
This project adopts unused forest waste wood as feedstock to construct a “Bio Tri-generation” facility. While producing bio-methanol as its primary product, the plant co-produces biochar and bio-liquid. These two by-products can be used as raw materials for carbon materials and biochemicals, realizing efficient full-component utilization of biomass resources.
△General Layout of the Demonstration Plant
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Clean Energy Vision
HyoJin Pure Methanol is a wholly-owned subsidiary of HyoJin E&HY. HyoJin E&HY has long been engaged in the field of automated equipment and is currently focusing on three major clean energy business segments: greenhouse gas carbon conversion, biomass-based clean methanol and biochemicals, as well as long-duration energy storage. The demonstration plant launched at this groundbreaking ceremony marks another major initiative of HyoJin in the new energy sector.
Mr. Kim Gi-yeong, Representative of HyoJin, introduced the three major clean energy businesses on site. He stated that carbon-related regulatory constraints constitute the primary driver for the development of green methanol and bio-methanol, while the massive carbon reduction demand in the shipping industry forms an important market backdrop for the project. Unlike conventional grey methanol produced from natural gas and coal, methanol made from biomass in this project can substantially cut carbon emissions across the whole life cycle, covering raw material procurement, production, transportation and end-use.
Upon completion, the demonstration plant is expected to boost two major clean methanol projects in South Korea: the 100,000 t/a Gunsan Clean Methanol Project and the 100,000 t/a Taebaek Clean Methanol Project.
---Representative Kim of HyoJin E&HY
△Representative Kim Gi-yeong introduced the three major clean energy businesses on site
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Ribbon-cutting for Groundbreaking · Embark on a New Journey
Witnessed by all attending guests, representatives from China and the ROK and other parties cut the ribbon for the demonstration plant, marking the official launch of the project’s construction and implementation phase.
△Chinese and ROK representatives jointly cut the ribbon for the project groundbreaking
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Technology Export · Cooperation Outlook
This cooperation marks an important milestone for Gongda Kaiyuan’s complete biomass gasification-to-methanol technology going global. Leveraging mature biomass conversion engineering technology and skid-mounted equipment solutions, Gongda Kaiyuan will continue to support the delivery of South Korea’s clean methanol demonstration project.
In the future, both parties will further deepen cooperation based on experience gained from the demonstration project. They will jointly push forward the implementation of the large-scale Gunsan and Taebaek clean methanol projects, facilitate the low-carbon transition of global shipping fuels, and strengthen China-ROK industrial cooperation on carbon peaking and carbon neutrality.
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