The construction of chemical pilot plants urgently requires support from multiple factors such as industrial collaboration, safety and environmental standards, advanced processes, and financial services

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The development of chemical pilot plants requires support from various factors such as industrial collaboration, safety and environmental standards, advanced manufacturing processes, and financial services. Building such pilot plants is a crucial step in achieving integrated development of technological and industrial innovation; it is therefore necessary to strengthen these supporting elements in order to promote the sustainable and high-quality development of these pilot plants. This is the information obtained by a reporter on August 22 at the 2nd 2025 Chemical Pilot Plant Innovation and Development Promotion Conference in Lanzhou New Area. 　　“Building a shared and service-oriented pilot plant platform is the core requirement of the current chemical industry for pilot plant facilities. ”Wang Xiaozhong, deputy director of the Quzhou Research Institute at Zhejiang University, said that there are nearly 70 pilot production bases in China, but their development is uneven. It is necessary for all parties to work together to improve relevant policies, and to achieve sustainable development of these pilot production bases by providing diverse financial services, building teams of multidisciplinary professionals, taking into account both public interest and commercial needs, as well as strengthening safety management and intellectual property systems. 　　“The pilot project unit is the entity responsible for safe production during the pilot phase, and its principal responsible person is the primary accountable party for such safety. ”Cha Wei, deputy director of the Quality, Safety, and Environmental Protection Department of the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation (hereinafter referred to as CPICF), emphasized this. Sinopec Lianzheng is working to establish a standard system that covers the entire process of chemical pilot production, with the core objectives of safety and controllability, data reliability, standardized processes, and compliance with environmental regulations. 　　Yao Dayuan, Technical Director of Donghua Engineering Technology Co., Ltd., introduced the main provisions of China’s first **standard** for the construction of pilot plants in chemical parks — the «Guidelines for the Construction of Pilot Plants in Chemical Parks». He emphasized that pilot testing is a crucial stage in the transformation of scientific and technological achievements, and it is of great significance for reducing R&D costs and improving the rate of conversion of such achievements. 　　“The process of pilot-scale research in the chemical industry is quite special: many processes have not yet been finalized, and there are numerous uncertainties. Optimizations and adjustments need to be made based on actual conditions, as well as more flexible and lenient policy support. ”Hu Bin, a researcher at the Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, pointed out that carrying out pilot-scale studies and improving production processes are necessary steps to enhance the new productivity of the fine chemical industry. 　　Gao Mingqiang, a member of the task force at the Lanzhou New Area Science and Technology Innovation Promotion Center, explained that the “Gan Zhi Hui” Science and Technology Innovation Park in Lanzhou New Area has established a comprehensive mechanism for transforming research results across the entire process from research and development to pilot testing and industrialization. Through innovative approaches such as creating shared platforms, setting up support systems for the entire process, providing funding from remaining funds from horizontal research projects, and establishing a team of technology managers, an efficient system for transforming scientific research results has been developed. 　　According to Wang Yanfei, the person in charge of the Ningdong Modern Coal Chemical Industry Pilot Base, in order to reduce the costs associated with enterprise pilot projects and accelerate the implementation of advanced technologies, such projects can be applied for as part of the key support programs in the Ningdong Energy and Chemical Industry Base, or as projects for technology transfer. They can receive subsidies amounting to up to 30% of their R&D investment, with a maximum amount of 5 million yuan. 　　How can the economic risks associated with project failures in pilot production facilities be mitigated? Fu Xingguo, general manager of Guoke New Materials Technology Co., Ltd., proposed a \"guarantee and loan linkage\" model. Through cooperation with financial institutions, this model establishes a risk-sharing mechanism for pilot projects, providing services such as loans and follow-on financing to the insured pilot entities. 　　Representatives from companies such as Shanghai Donggeng Chemical Technology Co., Ltd., Filitech Chemical Engineering (Suichang) Co., Ltd., Zheke (China) Engineering Equipment Co., Ltd., and Jingbo Research Institute shared cases of how advanced technologies and processes have enhanced the capabilities of pilot production bases. 　　This conference was organized by China Chemical Industry News Co., Ltd., and hosted by the Media Center of China Chemical Industry News and the National Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Synthesis and Transformation Technologies. It received strong support from the chemical industry park in Lanzhou New Area as well as key enterprises in that area.