How promising is the coal chemical industry—Reflections on future energy
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There are many people working in the coal chemical industry these days; I believe there are quite a few seniors on this forum who are involved in it. After all, the development of coal chemical industry is due to energy shortages. Let’s have a discussion about everyone’s thoughts on future energy. Based on my personal understanding, the author believes that 1. coal chemical industry is merely an intermediate transitional energy source. Coal is used as a primary energy source in only a few places. With the end of oil approaching, the era of coal chemical industry has arrived; this is especially true in China, where oil imports are large and maritime capabilities are not strong. Ensuring energy security has become a major challenge, and developing the coal chemical industry is one of the ways to address this issue. 2. The useful life of coal in China is 200 years, but in reality it isn’t that long; the development of new energy sources will be the main competitor to coal. The vigorous development of bioenergy and solar energy will yield significant benefits in the next few years to decades. Solar energy and bioenergy (a form of solar energy storage), due to their abundance and environmental friendliness, are the ultimate forms of energy. It will play an important role in the future. Europe and the United States have made significant efforts to develop bioenergy in recent years; by 2010, 20% of the EU’s energy supply was to come from bioenergy. In the near future, the use of coal should come to an end, due to environmental requirements. The combustion of underground energy sources such as coal and oil is the main cause of rising atmospheric temperatures and increased pollutants. 3. Nuclear energy may be a double-edged sword. It is a clean energy source when it is possible to do so safely. Many **are developing nuclear energy, such as France. But compared to enemies, it is also a burden. In an era of future global integration and an improving security environment, nuclear energy is undoubtedly a good source of energy; however, only a few scenarios for its development show any signs of improvement at present. 4. Coal-based chemical industries are bound to be replaced by new renewable energy sources within a period of no more than 50 years. In China, **more support should be provided for research and development in bioenergy and solar energy, along with policy incentives to encourage the use of these energy sources. Don’t let bioenergy technology fall behind again. (Gasification technology is a lesson indeed.) 5. Although coal chemical industry has a short history, its development will provide a technical foundation for the advancement of bioenergy. Strategically-minded research institutes and enterprises carry out preliminary R&D and utilization of bioenergy. Everyone, share your opinions
Is no one discussing it? What’s going on?
I am currently researching chemical conversion technologies for biomass energy. There are still many technical challenges associated with the use of biomass energy at present. But after I graduate, I plan to work on the development of coal chemical processing technologies; first, I need to take care of my own living expenses
It’s a question worth exploring. I have a question about how the original poster thinks about it It’s the issue of the availability of biomass. In particular, the amount that can be converted into chemical raw materials.
I think we can’t focus only on energy aspects; petroleum resources are not only used as an energy source but also as a raw material for many chemicals. At present, there are five alternatives to it, and nowadays coal is also a raw material for numerous chemicals. Therefore, the significance of coal chemical industry lies not only in energy, but it also serves as a foundation for many chemical industries. From this perspective, coal chemical industry is also very meaningful!
I’m in the same field; I also work on biomass research. At the moment, there’s no way for me to engage in gasification. What a shame** why isn’t bioenergy support available?
Energy policy is closely related to ** policy; recently there may be some construction of nuclear power plants, which can help reduce the use of coal, as it is a non-renewable resource – so it’s better to use less of it
I fully agree with you. Whether it’s petrochemicals or coal chemicals, they serve both as a source of energy and as raw materials for the chemical industry; other forms of energy don’t necessarily have this dual function. In terms of pure energy supply, bioenergy is one possible option, but it’s still a long way off at present. Life must go on and society must develop – so what should we do right now? Wind energy, nuclear energy, and solar energy are good options at present; **we are also making efforts in this area, as can be seen from relevant reports. The issue of energy is related to our sustainable development, and it requires constant attention and a long-term perspective.**
Coal chemical industry is not something new; under China’s current circumstances, it represents a way to reduce oil consumption. However, the pollution, energy consumption, and water resource issues associated with it require proper attention.
In fact, since it truly relates to a nation’s fate, the best approach is to achieve self-sufficiency and rely on domestic resources to stay strong; only then can one remain invincible. Otherwise, one will end up like the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, or Japan. Therefore, developing the conversion and utilization of solar and biomass energy is the ultimate energy utilization technology.
The energy issue is a rather complex topic. It should be both contemporary and uncertain. When coal energy consumption is roughly the same, new forms of energy may emerge (energy that might not have been discovered yet)
The issue of energy is not something that can be taken lightly; many factors need to be considered. I once read a report stating that Japan is very concerned about its imports of rare metals, as these materials mostly come from China. If China imposes restrictions on them, then things will get complicated. In fact, every country needs to take these issues into account, and China certainly relies heavily on imports as well. Who dares to say they have everything? This year, temperatures have reached unprecedented levels, which also reflects the issue of rational use of energy. What would you like to know?
Development remains the priority in the short term :)
I completely disagree with the view expressed above. Coal will replace petroleum as an energy source until it is exhausted, for the following reasons: (1) Coal chemical technology will be subject to extensive research in the near future; it is currently being strongly supported, and by 50 years from now this technology will surely be highly advanced. It is impossible to ignore such mature technology in favor of taking the risk of adopting a new one； (2) Coal chemical industry is not only a source of energy but also a source of chemical raw materials. The current main source of raw materials is oil; what will it be in the future? You can imagine it. (3) Solar energy is affected by the weather; so if there is continuous rain, will the world end up with floods on one side and a shortage of energy on the other? So solar energy can only be an auxiliary energy source!
It seems that CNOOC’s efforts to collaborate with Collin in the field of biofuel production are sensible, but such approaches are niche and seem to lack any concrete results so far :( . Renewable energy also requires a large amount of land and human resources. :'(With more people, energy consumption also increases – back to the era of small nations with few inhabitants?) ? ? No one wants that, I guess. The coal chemical industry remains a more practical option, and improving technical standards to reduce energy consumption is also an urgent task. Don’t waste the precious wealth left by our ancestors
What was said upstairs makes sense; we can’t draw simple conclusions regarding energy! The development of coal-based chemical industries is certainly limited; the same holds true for petroleum-based and natural gas-based chemical industries. As long as it comes to fossil fuels or non-renewable energy sources, there will eventually come an end to their use, whether that’s in 50 years, 100 years, or 1000 years. However, the development of coal chemical industries and similar fields keeps pace with the times. Environmental pollution, global warming, and energy demands all urge us to use energy in a clean manner and to minimize environmental pollution, so that our Earth can survive for a long time! Times are advancing, and technology is progressing as well. Sources of energy such as solar, hydro, wind, geothermal, biomass, nuclear, and oceanic energy will all see significant development in the future. The same is true for technologies related to coal processing; they will continue to evolve until the day when coal runs out! Even if fossil fuels are used, the technology at that time might already be advanced enough to provide us with better alternatives, so there’s no need for concern! :lol
Nuclear power plants also need uranium, and we are short of it too! !
Coal chemical industry is very popular these days; many places are engaging in it, with a focus on larger scale, greater precision, and development in downstream areas.
Oil, natural gas, coal, and the like are all non-renewable resources that will eventually run out. Renewable energy is the direction for sustainable development, and the pace of its replacement depends on the level of technological advancement. Low-cost renewable energy technologies can be developed quickly, and the prices of non-renewable resources won’t rise that much! Otherwise, an era of exorbitant energy costs will emerge. Until low-cost renewable energy technologies are developed, coal, which currently constitutes the largest source of energy reserves on Earth, will continue to play a significant role in the future, until it is exhausted! ! !
This issue should be analyzed based on China’s current economic structure; more precisely, it should be examined in light of China’s current energy structure. In fact, a large portion of our industrial energy supply still relies on coal, and China’s coal resources are approaching exhaustion. Therefore, the future of coal chemical industry looks promising, but it will also be full of challenges, as China’s energy industry is not yet highly developed.
Development knows no end, and so does technology. The development and existence of coal chemical industry cannot accompany humanity forever. The current enthusiasm for coal chemical industry in China is driven by the pressures on oil supply and China’s specific resource distribution; otherwise, the country’s economic development will inevitably be greatly affected. At the same time, I believe that with the development of coal chemical industry and the continuous progress and improvement of technologies, it will surely lay a technical foundation for the future development and utilization of other energy sources. The advancement of petrochemical technologies over the years has provided numerous technical insights that have contributed to the establishment of the coal chemical industry today, which is proof of this. It’s just my personal opinion; feel free to correct me!