Editor's Note:

In the era of the "Dual Carbon" strategy, ESG sustainable management has become a core driver for central SOEs to advance high-quality development. Grounded in the actual development of its three core business segments, CAMCE has actively built an integrated "Four Green" ESG management system — encompassing Green Design, Green Engineering, Green Manufacturing and Green Industry — which has become a key pillar supporting CAMCE in navigating industry cycles, undergoing a comprehensive green transition, and achieving sustainable and resilient growth. In recent years, CAMCE has upheld its responsibility as a central SOE, deeply cultivated overseas markets, and implemented the ESG development concept through high-quality projects, demonstrating the core strengths of CAMCE as a technology-driven specialized engineering company. The company has made solid strides along its mission to create value for Chinese engineering and build a better life for humanity.

On the occasion of World Environment Day (June 5), this article takes two iconic overseas projects — the Kazakhstan Soda Ash Plant and the Tuz Gölü Underground Natural Gas Storage Facility in Turkey — as examples to detail CAMCE's practical measures in full-cycle green construction, resource recycling, and low-carbon management in overseas project development, comprehensively showcasing the core green construction capabilities of Chinese engineering enterprises.

I. Creating Central Asia's First "Zero-Waste" Green Chemical Benchmark

The 500,000-ton-per-annum Soda Ash Plant Project in Zhambyl Region, Kazakhstan, is a key implemented project of China-Kazakhstan industrial cooperation and a successful example of tripartite market collaboration between Chinese enterprises, a Turkish investor, and Kazakhstan. This project is Kazakhstan's first soda ash plant and the largest soda ash plant under construction in Central Asia. Upon completion, it will fill the gap in Kazakhstan's domestic soda ash industry. The project deeply integrates the concepts of zero waste, circular economy, and low-carbon operation. To date, the main structure has been successfully topped out, and construction is steadily accelerating.

(I) Innovating the "Zero-Waste" Soda Ash Production Model to Build a Green Circular Economy Industrial Chain

The project adopts an innovative "Zero-Waste" soda ash production and operation concept, creating Central Asia's first zero-waste soda ash production facility. Focusing on areas such as process optimization, energy saving and consumption reduction, and waste management, the project integrates multiple process optimization technologies and proprietary patented achievements, establishing a comprehensive system for the resource recovery and reuse of industrial solid waste and liquid waste. Production waste residue, after harmless deep processing, can be used locally as a high-quality raw material for building materials. Distilled waste liquid is treated through environmental protection processes and then naturally evaporated. By reducing pollution at its source and maximizing the protection of regional soil and water resources as well as the natural ecology, the project provides CAMCE's "Zero-Waste" engineering model for the global soda ash industry's green and low-carbon plant construction and production.

(II) Cascade Steam Recycling to Enhance Energy Saving and Consumption Reduction

Taking into account the heat requirements of each soda ash production process, the project employs a cascade steam utilization system, scientifically coordinating steam distribution and utilizing waste heat in stages to achieve efficient cascade reuse of steam energy. At the same time, 100% closed-loop recycling of steam condensate generated during production is achieved, significantly reducing thermal energy and water consumption and achieving energy savings and cost reduction at the process source.

(III) Innovating Lake Water Direct Cooling Carbonization Technology to Solve Water Resource Shortages

Adapting to local conditions, the project innovatively adopts lake water direct cooling carbonization tower technology, replacing traditional high-water-consumption water cooling systems. This maximizes the use of local natural water resources, significantly reduces the extraction of fresh industrial water, and achieves efficient and intensive utilization of water resources.

(IV) Empowering Local Industrial Upgrading and Supporting Central Asia's Energy Low-Carbon Transition

Upon completion, the project will transform Kazakhstan from a soda ash importer into a regional exporter and drive the synergistic upgrading of the upstream and downstream chemical industry chains in Central Asia. By implementing development models such as green and low-carbon operations, circular economy, and comprehensive resource utilization, the project effectively reduces long-term environmental operation and maintenance costs. It provides a replicable practical model for the green construction and low-carbon operation of large-scale chemical projects in Central Asia, supporting the region's industrial green transformation.

II. World-Class Green Gas Storage Project Supports Local Energy Low-Carbon Transition

Recently, the Tuz Gölü Underground Natural Gas Storage Expansion Project (Phase II) in Turkey, undertaken by CAMCE, successfully completed gas injection for the first five wells, marking the project's official transition to the injection and production operation phase. By expanding 40 underground salt cavern storage facilities and related supporting facilities, the project will increase the overall storage capacity from 1 billion cubic meters to 5 billion cubic meters. As a strategic energy infrastructure project in Turkey, it plays key roles in natural gas reserves, peak shaving, and emergency supply.

Upon completion, it will become the world's largest underground salt cavern natural gas storage facility, helping to enhance the stability of Turkey's energy supply, secure energy security, and build a solid hardware foundation for optimizing Turkey's energy structure and low-carbon transition. The project is highly aligned with Turkey's goal of reducing carbon emissions by 100 million tons by 2030, achieving a win-win outcome between high-quality green construction and ecological protection.

(I) Strictly Protecting the Salt Lake Ecological Red Line Through Fine-Grained Construction

Lake Tuz, located over 40 kilometers from the project site, is the largest natural salt lake in Turkey and the country's second largest lake. Throughout the project lifecycle, strict controls have been implemented to minimize ecological disturbance around the salt lake: excavation and backfilling of earthwork are carried out in accordance with layered excavation and layered restoration specifications. At the completion of construction, vegetation replanting and restoration of the original landform are carried out simultaneously, minimizing the impact of engineering construction on the surrounding original ecology.

(II) Closed-Loop Control of Wastewater and Solid Waste with Regular Water Quality Monitoring

A dedicated wastewater treatment plant has been built on-site, where production wastewater, construction runoff, and domestic sewage are centrally treated. The treated water meets or exceeds Turkish environmental discharge standards before being released. A regular spot water quality inspection mechanism has been established, with periodic water quality monitoring conducted at the project site and its surroundings.

Waste generated by the project is collected and disposed of by qualified local environmental protection enterprises in compliance with Turkish environmental laws and regulations, ensuring a strong line of defense for regional ecological safety.

(III) Digitalization Empowers Efficient, Low-Carbon, and Intelligent Operation and Maintenance

The project is equipped with an advanced automation control system and a SCADA remote monitoring platform, enabling real-time online monitoring and remote intelligent control of wellhead facilities, process systems, and key equipment operating status. Leveraging digital management, equipment operation efficiency and system reliability have been effectively improved, while safety management and environmental monitoring capabilities have been enhanced, providing strong technical support for the long-term stable and low-carbon operation of the gas storage facility.

Thanks to the high-quality project performance and mature green construction technologies demonstrated in Phase II, CAMCE successfully signed the contract for Phase III of the project in March 2025, achieving consecutive project wins in Turkey's clean energy sector. This will become another landmark achievement in CAMCE's high-quality green Belt and Road cooperation.

Looking to the Future

Looking ahead, CAMCE will continue to closely align with the national "Dual Carbon" strategy and the green Belt and Road Initiative, further deepening the construction of its full-chain "Four Green" ESG management system and continuously enhancing its technology-driven specialized capabilities. With tangible ESG achievements, CAMCE will support global ecological sustainability and the coordinated development of local livelihoods and industries in host countries. The company will join hands with partner countries to build a community of life in which humanity and nature coexist harmoniously, consistently delivering Chinese green engineering solutions to the world.