——Interview with Wang Wentang, secretary-general of the China Chemical Industry Energy-saving Technology Association, in the first year of the 12th Five-Year Plan, energy consumption in the chemical industry grew rapidly. This is not only related to the increase in operating rate of enterprises and the acceleration of project construction speed, but also affected by the level of energy-saving technologies of chemical companies. At present, what are the difficulties in energy saving in chemical enterprises? How can I solve it? The reporter interviewed Wang Wentang, the secretary-general of the China Chemical Industry Energy Technology Association.

Reporter: According to your understanding, what are the difficulties in the current petroleum and chemical energy conservation?

Wang Wentang: There are three main aspects.

First, the structural adjustment policies of high-energy-consuming industries are not in place. At present, many chemical companies with funds and resources are still vigorously expanding the production capacity of high-energy-consuming products, such as caustic soda, the production capacity is already in surplus, and there are enterprises in the project; methanol, the downstream market has not yet been opened, but there are new one after another. The project started; this situation also exists in synthetic ammonia. These products are resource-based products, with high energy costs, more than 50%, and some products even exceed 80%.

The state has some macro-control policies for high-energy-consuming projects, but it is sometimes difficult to implement. Even some companies do not really attach importance to these energy-saving and emission-reduction policies. Instead, they blindly go on projects according to their own conditions. In addition, the energy consumption data of enterprises is reported to the relevant departments themselves. The energy consumption status of enterprises is not all true. These backward production capacity and high energy-consuming enterprises can only be eliminated naturally in the market. Therefore, policies need to be strengthened and need to be implemented.

Second, the management of some chemical companies is not in place and is still extensive. Our association has visited a number of chemical companies, but we have found that there are only a few enterprises that can effectively manage the energy of enterprises and explore the potential for energy conservation in depth. For example, the “Energy Conservation Law” stipulates that enterprises with an annual energy consumption of 10,000 tons or more of standard coal are key energy-using units, and should establish energy management positions and be equipped with qualified energy management personnel. However, at present, some companies do not even have full-time energy management personnel; even if some companies are equipped, they are only dealing with errands and responding to higher-level inspections. They have not focused on the work that the Energy Conservation Law stipulates. In addition, in some chemical companies, technical personnel sometimes find energy-saving potential, but they are often not adequately addressed by upper-level leaders. Some energy-saving measures have been implemented and the results are good, but there are no substantial rewards, but if they are not effective or have problems Technical personnel also need to take responsibility and be punished. This has led to insufficient incentives for the company's technicians to save energy and they have to meet the status quo.

Third, the convergence of technology and users. In fact, there are many good chemical energy-saving technologies. The results are very good and the technology is relatively mature. From the user's point of view, chemical companies do have demand for use. However, the current status quo is that the two are not well connected. This is a pity that many good technologies have not been promoted. This is mainly due to problems in the convergence of intermediate links. In order to allow new technologies to be applied more quickly and quickly to chemical companies, our association has done some work, but the effect is not yet satisfactory. At present, we have not found a very effective solution.

Reporter: What do you think of the above difficulties?

Wang Wentang: First, insist on structural adjustment. As a pillar industry of the national economy, the chemical industry cannot always rely on high-energy-consumption products to develop. At present, some chemical companies still plan to vigorously develop high-energy-consumption products and use them as the direction for future development. This is very dangerous. Resources tax, export tax rate, differential electricity price and other policies will be continuously adjusted during the “Twelfth Five-Year Plan” period. Each adjustment will not encourage the development of high energy-consuming products. Businesses should have an overall view, a long-term view, and must not only focus on immediate interests. The various policies introduced by the state now also show that during the "12th Five-Year Plan" period, reducing energy consumption is certainly an important task. At present, high energy-consuming products are basically oversupply, and it is an opportunity for companies to adjust their product structure. Enterprises to develop high value-added, low-energy products is an important means to achieve energy-saving goals.

The second is to improve energy management. The current energy management level of chemical companies needs to be further refined, especially in terms of implementation of energy consumption quota management, energy efficiency benchmarking, energy saving rewards and punishment systems, and energy management informationization. There is still much room for this.

In order to improve energy management, companies can consider establishing an energy management center. However, companies should first determine whether they are suitable when building a center. For example, Hubei Xingfa Group, which is the first to build an energy management center in the chemical industry, is suitable for large-scale projects such as yellow phosphorus tail gas and power stations. Carbon black, calcium carbide, and yellow phosphorus enterprises have exhaust gas that can be used, and basically have an energy management model that integrates management and control, and are suitable for the construction of an energy management center. However, some traditional chemical companies are not necessarily suitable, because they do not have large projects to implement, and energy use is relatively sufficient. Reinvesting tens of millions of yuan in building enterprise energy management centers will result in long payback periods, and some even require 78 year. As far as I know, some chemical companies built energy management centers, considering that there is a 10% state subsidy, but the remaining 90% of the funds still have to be borne by the enterprises themselves, and for a total investment of up to 20,000 yuan, it is also a It's not appropriate to spend a lot of money on this item, plus the long investment recovery period. These enterprises should consider raising the level of enterprise energy management information and building an energy management system suitable for the company.

The third is to use contract energy management. Contract energy management can minimize technical risk and capital risk, and it is a kind of energy-saving investment model suitable for chemical companies. It is also a model that the country vigorously implements during the “12th Five-Year Plan” and has great potential. In the next few years, contract energy management is expected to play a greater role in energy conservation in chemical companies, but this will require a difficult process.

There are still some problems to be solved in the contract energy management. The first is the technical aspect. At present, energy-saving service companies are lacking in technology developed for the chemical industry. Iron and steel, cement, and other industries, because the process is relatively simple, so easy to implement the contract energy management, can use general technology. However, the process in the chemical industry is very complex and has many products. It has its own characteristics and it is difficult to implement it. Few energy-saving service companies have developed specific energy-saving solutions for the characteristics of chemical processes and combined with chemical processes. Followed by the chemical industry itself is not enough understanding. At present, some chemical companies have not yet realized the importance of contract energy management. In addition, companies have little understanding of how energy efficiency benefits are divided and how prices are discussed.

During the “Twelfth Five-Year Plan” period, the pressure on energy conservation of chemical companies is very large. Whether or not they can achieve the expected energy saving goals, the most critical factor is the attitude of the enterprises to energy conservation. What kind of development direction the enterprise chooses, what kind of management measures and technical measures are adopted, and determines the energy consumption level of the enterprise. If we stick to the direction of energy-saving and low-carbon development and take tangible measures, chemical companies will have much room for energy conservation.