Salt of the earth

Renewable energy

In 2022, the Hangu Salt Field collaborated with Goldwind Science & Technology Co to build a 12.9-megawatt decentralized wind power project. This is the first decentralized wind power project in China's salt industry, and currently the largest such project in Tianjin.

The large wind turbines distributed around the ancient salt fields generate electricity directly for production needs, capable of meeting one-third of the fields' annual electricity demand.

"Last year's annual power generation reached 33 million kilowatt-hours, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 23,990 tons annually and saving the enterprise over 3.3 million yuan ($460,000) in electricity costs," said Liu Qing, the project leader.

Last year, recognized for its outstanding performance in green manufacturing and management, the Hangu Salt Field received the honorary title of "National Green Factory".

Industrial integration

The Hangu Salt Field has evolved from just being a production base into a 4A-level national tourist attraction, attracting some one million visitors in the past five years.

The vibrant colors of the salt ponds stem from a clever combination of nature and science. The brine of different concentrations hosts different halophiles and algae, which cause the water to exhibit rich colors like yellow, red and brown, forming a unique artificial ecological wetland landscape.

A key component of the area's cultural-tourism integration has been the Zhiyan School, which has been renovated from old industrial buildings. "The school, as a national marine science education base, boasts modern technologies like naked-eye 9D to immerse visitors in the history of the salt industry," said Li Shuangwei, deputy general manager of Hanyan Cultural Tourism Development Co. "The most popular activity is salt sculpture, where children can grind handmade salt with stone mills. It's great fun."

On the horizon

Zhang Shiyong, deputy Party secretary and chairman of the trade union of the Hangu Salt Field, said that the development path is clear. "The primary sector, focusing on our sea salt production, is the foundation; the secondary sector, developing high-value-added industries like salt chemical and biological industries, is the engine; the tertiary sector, establishing the aquaculture and cultural tourism brand, is the wings."

He added: "The company will continue to stick to the core salt business while exploring pathways for the transformation of the traditional salt industry. We will accelerate the integration of the primary, secondary and tertiary industries, promote the shift of the traditional salt production zone into an ecotourism destination and a modern industrial base, and further uncover new narratives for Tianjin's time-honored brands."

Wu Meng and Liu Wenchao contributed to this story.

yandongjie@chinadaily.com.cn