Industrial energy conservation and emission reduction targets set; challenges arise again for the petrochemical industry March 31, 2011

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“Not long after the completion of the 11th Five-Year Plan’s efforts to reduce energy consumption and emissions, new tasks in this regard arrived immediately. The National Development and Reform Commission announced the key goals for resource conservation and environmental protection in 2011. Among them, energy consumption per unit of GDP decreased by 3.5% compared with the previous year ； The water consumption per 10,000 yuan of industrial added value decreased by 7% compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology set mandatory targets for the 12th Five-Year Plan period regarding energy consumption per unit of industrial output value, water usage, carbon dioxide emission intensity, and the comprehensive utilization rate of industrial solid waste in China’s industry; as a result, the petrochemical industry will face greater challenges. 　　Industry experts point out that during the 11th Five-Year Plan period, the foundation was laid for energy conservation and emission reduction efforts in the petrochemical industry. To meet the mandatory targets set for the 12th Five-Year Plan, the petrochemical industry faces pressure, but it has an inherent responsibility to take action, and there is significant potential for improvement. 　　It is reported that by 2015, China’s energy consumption per unit of industrial added value, carbon dioxide emissions, and water usage were to be reduced by 18%, more than 18%, and 30% respectively compared to the end of the 11th Five-Year Plan period, while the comprehensive utilization rate of industrial solid waste was to rise to around 72%. Specifically this year, the energy consumption per unit of industrial added value, carbon dioxide emissions, and water usage are expected to decrease by 4%, by more than 4%, and by around 7% respectively, while the comprehensive utilization rate of industrial solid waste is set to increase by 2.2 percentage points. 　　The industrial transformation and upgrading plan being developed by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology preliminarily identifies binding indicators to be used during the 12th Five-Year Plan period, such as energy consumption, water usage per unit of industrial added value, carbon dioxide emission intensity, as well as emissions of sulfur dioxide, chemical oxygen demand, nitrogen oxides, and ammonia nitrogen in the industrial sector. To achieve the various goals and tasks related to energy conservation and emission reduction, it is necessary to continue to optimize and adjust the industrial structure, place emphasis on technological progress in enterprises and industries, and strictly enforce energy-saving and consumption-reduction management in enterprises. 　　The newly set targets are somewhat higher than those that were previously determined. As a key sector for energy conservation and emission reduction, the petrochemical industry will face greater pressure during the 12th Five-Year Plan period. Taking the goal of comprehensive utilization of bulk solid waste as an example, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has set a target of 72% by the end of the 12th Five-Year Plan period. For the petrochemical industry, although the utilization rates of calcium carbide slag and pyrite slag are relatively high, the comprehensive utilization rate of phosphogypsum and similar materials is currently only around 20%, which poses new and significant challenges to this industry. 　　“During the 12th Five-Year Plan period, developing a circular economy, enhancing the comprehensive utilization of resources, promoting clean production, and intensifying energy-saving efforts were the key tasks in the petrochemical industry’s efforts to reduce emissions. At the same time, efforts to address climate change were to be advanced through two approaches: reducing the use of coal as fuel and cutting carbon emissions during the production process. Furthermore, although the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has not set specific targets for reducing ammonia nitrogen and nitrogen oxides, industries such as nitrogen fertilizers, soda ash, ADC foaming agents, and dyes need to pay close attention to this issue and make significant efforts to reduce ammonia nitrogen and nitrogen oxides.