The Zhangjiagang Economic & Technological Development Zone (ZETDZ) in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu province, has grown to be a national high-tech industrial base for energy conservation and environmental protection equipment, according to an announcement by the Ministry of Science and Technology recently.

As the first national base for energy conservation and environmental protection equipment in the country, the zone has focused on the development of energy-saving and environmental protection enterprises, represented by Zhangjiagang Furui Special Equipment Co, Suzhou Hailu Heavy Industry Co and Xin Zhong Environmental Protective Co. They are mainstay businesses in the zone integrating research and development, manufacturing and sales.

The zone has also developed some high-tech energy conservation and environment protection equipment, such as coke dry-quenching boilers, storage and transport equipment for low-temperature liquefied natural gas, and desulfurization and denitrifying equipment. It has also developed several key technologies related to waste heat reuse, high efficiency cleaning and liquefied natural gas (LNG).

To date, the ZETDZ boasts 401 patents regarding energy conservation and environment protection, five Jiangsu famous-brand products and 10 trademarks. In 2014, the output of the zone's energy conservation and environmental protection equipment industry is expected to exceed 10 billion yuan ($1.63 billion). By the end of 2016, the output is scheduled to reach 20 billion yuan, with an annual increase of 30 percent.

Recognition of the national high-tech industrial base will facilitate the zone's attraction for high technologies and skilled professionals, which will become a new driving force for the cluster development of the energy conservation and environmental protection equipment industry, as well as the city's economic transformation.