Recently, Sunpower Equipment Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Sunpower Technology, has entered into a partnership with international LNG technology firm GAS Entec to supply its self-developed Open Rack Vaporizer (ORV) system for the Onshore Regasification Unit (ORU) project in the Aqaba Special Economic Zone of Jordan. This milestone marks the first export of China’s independently developed core LNG integrated equipment, reinforcing energy cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative.
Located in the Gulf of Aqaba, Jordan, the collaborative project represents a strategic energy initiative in the Middle East. As Saudi Arabia’s first permanent onshore LNG facility, it carries significant responsibility for Jordan’s energy independence and aims to improve the national economic structure through the establishment of a modern energy hub. Sunpower’s ORV system boasts a maximum single-unit processing capacity of 204 t/h. Optimized with high-efficiency heat transfer technology, the system significantly enhances heat exchange performance and is well-suited to operate under desert climate conditions. Once completed, the project will play a vital role in supporting Jordan’s energy supply.
As a technology-driven enterprise long committed to high-end equipment R&D and innovation, Sunpower adheres to the philosophy of “introduction, digestion, absorption, and re-innovation.” Since undertaking Sinopec’s key “Ten Dragons” scientific and technological project for LNG equipment localization in 2012, the company has successively carried out localization R&D tasks for integrated equipment in projects for CNOOC and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei supply guarantee initiative.
After three years of dedicated research, China’s first domestically developed LNG vaporizer was successfully manufactured in May 2015 and put into operation at the Beihai LNG Project in Guangxi. This breakthrough in major technical equipment signified the true localization of LNG vaporizers, breaking long-standing foreign monopolies in the field. It also accelerated the development of the LNG industry and related sectors, providing reliable reference standards and technical validation for the use of domestic equipment in LNG terminal construction across China.
To date, through substantial R&D investment and continuous optimization, Sunpower has successfully deployed its homegrown LNG vaporizers in multiple large-scale LNG receiving terminals, including those in Sinopec’s Tianjin and Qingzhou terminals, CNOOC’s Jiangsu terminal, and PipeChina’s Beihai, Hainan, Zhangzhou, and Eastern Guangdong terminals. The equipment is also set for export to international markets such as the Middle East and Europe.
The collaboration with GAS Entec represents an active effort by Sunpower to deepen its presence in the global energy market and support the Belt and Road Initiative. Moving forward, Sunpower will continue to leverage its technological innovation capabilities to advance the development of high-end equipment, contributing Chinese solutions to the global transition toward low-carbon energy and showcasing more homegrown technologies and high-end equipment on the world stage.
