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Strengthening Clean and Efficient Utilization to Accelerate the Green and Low-Carbon Transition – Editor’s Note: On November 7, the 2025 Conference on Advancing the Modernization of the Petroleum and Chemical Industry in the Chinese Style, along with the 21st Annual Meeting of Strategic Partners of China Chemical News, was held at the Ningdong Energy and Chemical Industry Base in Ningxia. The event was organized by China Chemical News Co., Ltd., with support from Ningxia Ningdong Development Investment Co., Ltd. and China Chemical News Media Center. The conference established a sub-forum on the innovative development of the modern coal chemical industry in the context of the \"dual carbon\" goals, where in-depth discussions were held on cutting-edge topics such as clean and efficient conversion technologies for coal, the use of artificial intelligence to promote safe and energy-efficient development in the coal chemical industry, and low-carbon development in the petrochemical sector. Today, we are publishing the insightful views of the guests present at the event for readers to refer to. Jia Yichen, Senior Low-Carbon Officer at the China Chemical Industry Energy Conservation Technology Association: The low-carbon development of the petrochemical industry requires adherence to the \"six transformations\". In 2024, progress was made in energy conservation and carbon reduction within China’s petroleum and chemical industries; overall energy efficiency improved, production technologies and equipment advanced, and the efficiency of utilizing waste heat and pressure increased significantly. Digital management also began to show positive results. However, the industry’s structural layout and technical characteristics result in high energy consumption and substantial carbon emissions. Against the backdrop of the \"dual carbon\" goals, the industry faces four major challenges: how to meet domestic demand for petroleum and chemical products while controlling the total carbon emissions of the industry, and laying the foundation for future carbon neutrality efforts ； The industry’s transformation and development still require a transition period ； How to enhance a company’s core competitiveness while achieving the \"dual carbon\" goals ； How to handle the relationship between existing and new industrial capacity. To address the aforementioned challenges, it is recommended to achieve low-carbon development in this industry through the use of lighter raw materials, a lower-carbon production process, cluster development, the industrialization of green hydrogen, the recycling of waste, and the utilization of carbon dioxide. The use of lighter raw materials is an inevitable trend in the development of olefins in China. On the premise of ensuring the security of the industrial chain and supply chain, propane dehydrogenation to produce propylene and ethane cracking to produce ethylene should be developed as appropriate ； To achieve a low-carbon production process, it is necessary to improve energy efficiency and implement energy-saving technological upgrades, carry out electrical transformation of key equipment and facilities, and develop methods for converting crude oil directly into chemicals ； Industrial cluster development involves adjusting the structure of production capacity, promoting integration in refining and chemical processing, and increasing the proportion of chemical products ； The industrialization of green hydrogen involves the development of green hydrogen refining, the production of green alcohols from green hydrogen, and the production of green ammonia; carbon dioxide emissions during these processes are reduced by adjusting the hydrocarbon ratio ； Waste resource utilization refers to processes such as the chemical recycling of waste plastics and the production of oil products from waste plastics ； The utilization of carbon dioxide refers to improving crude oil recovery rates and accelerating the use of carbon dioxide as a resource. Jiang Bo, Manager of the Production Department at Shaanxi Coal Group Yulin Chemical Co., Ltd.: Promoting industrial upgrading through the clean and efficient conversion of coal. At present, factors such as homogeneous competition and constraints related to resources and the environment hinder the high-quality development of the coal chemical industry. The sector is at a turning point, moving from \"quantitative expansion\" to \"qualitative improvement\", and the clean and efficient conversion of coal is the only way to ensure China’s energy security and drive industrial upgrading. Over the years, Shaanxi Coal Group has continued to explore ways for the differentiated utilization of coal and for achieving green and low-carbon transformation, making numerous breakthroughs in this area. The 15 million tons per year demonstration project for the clean and efficient differentiated conversion of coal, built by Shaanxi Coal Yulin Chemical, is one such example of such efforts. This project undertakes 5 demonstration tasks: an industrial demonstration of low-rank coal pyrolysis on a million-ton scale, a large-scale industrial demonstration of the pyrolysis-gasification integrated (CGPS) technology, a large-scale industrial demonstration of the hydrogenation of tar to produce aromatics and aviation fuel, an industrial demonstration of advanced water treatment technologies, and a demonstration of the development of domestic key equipment. Leveraging the resource advantages of the Northern Shaanxi Energy and Chemical Industry Base, the project uses low-grade coal as raw material and adopts technologies for the differentiated utilization of coal. This will result in a high-value product portfolio consisting of four categories: battery electrolyte solvents, special oils, biodegradable plastics, and high-performance materials, with an annual production capacity of 8.4 million tons. The project aims to promote deep integration between coal-based \"triphenyltriene\" products and the petrochemical industry, achieving coordinated development through horizontal expansion of business areas and vertical extension of the industrial chain, thereby creating a complete and efficient high-end industrial chain. Among them, the first-phase projects including the 1.8 million tons per year ethylene glycol plant, the 1.2 million tons per year coal pyrolysis plant, the 500,000 tons per year DMC plant (first phase), and the 4 million tons per year CCS pilot project have been completed. The second-phase projects, with a total investment of 176 billion yuan, are under accelerated construction and are expected to be completed and put into operation by the end of 2027. Yang Yong, Executive Deputy General Manager of Zhongke Synthetic Oil Technology Co., Ltd.: Coal-to-oil production should focus on product diversification and high-end development. The high-temperature Fischer-Tropsch synthesis coal-to-oil (indirect coal liquefaction) technology developed independently in China is now mature, and the successful operation of the first pilot plant with an annual capacity of 4 million tons has fully demonstrated the reliability of this technology as well as its advanced performance metrics. It offers a diverse range of products that can complement those of the petrochemical industry, and it is of great significance for enhancing **energy self-sufficiency and promoting the clean and efficient conversion and utilization of coal. How can the coal-to-oil industry achieve chain extension, upgrading, and high-quality development? It is necessary to advance the scale-up of Fischer-Tropsch synthesis technology as well as the development of larger-scale equipment, and to develop technologies for producing ultra-clean petroleum products through integrated oil and chemical production ； At the same time, it adheres to product diversification and high-end development, achieves dynamic co-production of ultra-clean oils and chemicals (olefins, C4, α-olefins), combines normal operations with emergency response measures, further enhances the economic viability of the project, and promotes the healthy development of the industry. Yang Dajun, Senior Vice President Global at Topsoe and President for China: A combination of various technical approaches is needed to reduce carbon emissions. Humanity is facing unprecedented environmental challenges, and it is urgent to implement measures to reduce carbon emissions, which requires the use of multiple technical approaches. As a global leader in energy transition technologies and solutions, Topsoo has leveraged decades of scientific innovation to develop a range of technical solutions that convert renewable resources into the fuels and chemicals needed by the world, as well as enabling the production of efficient, low-carbon fuels and cleaner air. These solutions help clients and partners achieve their goals of reducing carbon emissions and advancing toward a green energy future. To date, six sustainable jet fuel projects utilizing Topsoe’s advanced HydroFlex technology, along with one dynamic green ammonia production project, have been successfully implemented in China. Low-carbon development holds promising prospects, but it is also full of challenges. It is necessary to accelerate the development of new areas and actively explore new application scenarios to help the heavy industry reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. Examples include the use of green hydrogen in vehicles, the chemical industry, and batteries, the use of green alcohols in ships, gasoline, and olefins, and the use of green ammonia in ships and power plants. The government and enterprises should work together to strengthen cross-regional and cross-industry cooperation, thereby achieving coordination between upstream and downstream sectors as well as within the industrial chain. At the same time, innovate carbon-reduction technologies for traditional industries to help improve their quality and efficiency. Zhang Jizhen, General Manager of the Smart Coal Mine Business Unit at Zhongkong Technology and Chief Engineer in the coal chemical industry: Industrial AI drives energy savings and carbon reduction in the coal chemical sector. Artificial intelligence (AI) technology is developing at a rapid pace. Industrial AI will drive intelligent operation in enterprise management and smart control in production, using intelligent technologies to redefine the boundaries of safe production. It is foreseeable that, from traditional factories and smart factories to the future \"future factories,\" we will see intelligent factories that operate entirely autonomously. The ultimate goal of such future factories is to achieve digitalization in safety production processes as well as intelligent management and control for optimal operations. Zhongkong Technology has increased its investment in innovation in industrial AI; in 2024, the ratio of R&D expenditure to revenue reached 10.7%, giving rise to a new intelligent operation framework for future factories based on industrial AI, namely the “1+2+N” model. Among them, “1” refers to the industrial operating system supOS – the industrial AI data foundation, while “2” denotes the two large models that utilize AI plus mechanistic principles: the industrial time series large model (TPT) and the hypergraph large model (HGT). These two large models make use of vast amounts of data related to production operations, processes, equipment, quality, and management. By integrating data from various industrial sources, they are trained to create large models with high generalization capabilities and reliability for the process industry. These models offer a range of intelligent solutions such as AI+security, AI+quality, AI+efficiency, and AI+low carbon, thereby helping enterprises achieve digital transformation in their operations. Currently, this model has been applied in various companies with good results. Kuang Jianping, General Manager of Ningxia Shenyao Technology Co., Ltd.: The “Guoning Furnace” contributes to green, high-quality, and low-carbon development. **The Guoning Furnace, a sophisticated coal gasification device developed by the Energy Group and featuring independent intellectual property rights, utilizes a single-nozzle dry coal powder pressurized gasification technology that allows for the use of 3,000 tons of coal per day. It boasts advantages such as a simple operation process, high safety levels, low oxygen and coal consumption, as well as broad compatibility with different types of coal. “Over the 8 years since its application in **Energy Group Ningmei Company’s 4 million tons per year coal indirect liquefaction demonstration project, the ‘Guoning furnace’ has operated stably, delivering significant economic and social benefits. In 2021, the innovative development and industrialization of a 4 million tons per year coal indirect liquefaction plant, based on the \"Guoning Furnace\" as its core technology, won the **First Prize for Scientific and Technological Progress**. As the platform for the development and promotion of gasification technology in energy groups, the Shenyao technical team did not stop there; they developed the “Guoning Furnace” technology for biomass gasification to produce green methanol/green aviation fuel. In September 2024, Shenyao Technology, in collaboration with Ningxia Coal Industry and Jidian Co., Ltd., conducted continuous feeding combustion tests for biomass fluidized bed gasification on the No. 5 \"Guoning Furnace\" gasification unit, using materials such as reeds, straw, and cow dung to produce high-calorific-value fuels. Pilot tests were conducted in an industrial-scale fluidized bed gasifier, achieving continuous feeding of 100% biomass feedstock and stable full-load operation, thereby converting waste straw into green fuel. In addition, Shenyao Technology is also exploring new ways for the comprehensive utilization of the large amount of industrial solid waste generated by coal chemical projects – gasification fine slag. In 2018, the company built a demonstration unit to carry out pilot studies on fine slag combustion; through thorough dehydration and drying, the moisture content of the fine slag was reduced from 55% to below 30%. After combustion, 1 ton of fine slag can generate over 1.3 tons of high-pressure steam; the residual carbon in the fly ash resulting from the combustion of this slag is less than 5%. The by-product lime can be used as lightweight refractory bricks, and the gasified fly ash can be combined with carbon dioxide to produce green pre-mixed concrete, resulting in a 40% reduction in solid waste. At present, a demonstration project for the drying and comprehensive utilization of million-ton-scale gasification fine slag is under construction at the Ningdong site. Liu Hongtao, Senior Engineer of Process Systems at Honeywell UOP’s Hydrogen Team: Advanced PSA hydrogen production technology opens up ways to reduce costs and increase efficiency in the coal chemical industry. Honeywell boasts over a century of global expertise as well as leading capabilities in research and development. The pressure swing adsorption (PSA) technology developed by this company has been applied in 1,200 units worldwide. This technology features high reliability, a high adsorption capacity of the adsorbent, easy desorption, and easy installation due to its modular skid design. This technology also has the following advantages: it optimizes the front-end pretreatment units, taking into account the need of coal chemical plants to improve PSA performance ； The product purity can be further improved to meet the requirements of downstream devices, thereby protecting the precious metal catalysts in those devices ； Use high-performance adsorbents to enhance the processing capacity of the device ； Improving the operational stability of the lifting device, etc. After replacing the adsorbents in 10 towers with UOP adsorbents, a chemical company was able to increase the hydrogen output from 80,000 cubic meters per hour to 120,000 cubic meters per hour. The recovery rate improved by about 4%, energy consumption decreased by 15%, and annual profits increased by 66.3 million yuan. Cai Jun, a researcher at the Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences: New circular fluidized bed technologies promote the efficient conversion and utilization of coal. As an important reaction device in the field of energy and chemical engineering, the circular fluidized bed enables efficient heat and mass transfer as well as chemical reactions through rapid circulation of gas-solid two-phase flow. It boasts advantages in terms of gas-solid flow, temperature field distribution, and heat and mass transfer, and plays a significant role in low-carbon applications involving gas-solid two-phase reactions. For the conversion and utilization of coal, the key constraint is that coal is a solid fuel. Is it possible to transform the gas-solid phase reaction resulting from coal conversion into a gas-gas homogeneous reaction? The Institute of Engineering Thermophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has proposed the idea of using a circulating fluidized bed to \"preheat and modify\" coal, thereby using thermophysical mechanisms to break down the \"macromolecules\" of solid fuel into \"micromolecules\", achieving a form of \"gasification\" of the solid fuel and increasing the rate of the gas-solid phase reaction. In recent years, a series of engineering applications have been carried out in areas such as flexible peak shaving in coal-fired power generation, flexible gasification of various coal types, hierarchical and quality-based utilization of coal, and the production of green methanol via biomass gasification. Among them, the flexible circulating fluidized bed coal gasification technology for various coal types has been widely applied in industries such as non-ferrous metallurgy, building materials, synthetic ammonia, and coal-to-hydrogen production, with over 100 units in use ； The 50,000 tons/year demonstration project for the production of green methanol via biomass circulating fluidized bed staged gasification is set to go into operation soon. (The text was compiled by Li Jun)