Shandong plans to set up a fund worth 5 billion yuan ($782 million) to boost the development of the seawater desalination industry, local media reported.

According to Duan Jianwen, an official from the Shandong Provincial Oceanic Administration, Shandong will establish a provincial-level coordination mechanism for the development of the seawater desalination industry, promote the large-scale application of seawater desalination, strengthen scientific research and technology achievements transferring, and improve policies and measures for the development of the industry.

Shandong will also promote the construction of a seawater desalination and comprehensive utilization research institute, and improve the entire industrial chain spanning material production, equipment manufacturing and technology application.

It will promote industrial upgrading and technological innovation, as well as carry out research and development of new seawater desalination processes and technologies.

As an emerging marine industry, the seawater desalination industry in Shandong has begun to take shape. Forty-one seawater desalination projects with a capacity of 459,900 tons per day have already been built in the province.