Coal chemical makes for environmental protection economy

(chinadaily.com.cn)

Updated: 2014-12-04

Jiutai Energy started its business in Shandong's Linyi in 2002, and now the company has many subsidiaries in Shandong, Inner Mongolia, Guangdong and Beijing. The branch in Inner Mongolia has seen the most robust growth among its peers.

The branch features green trees and artistic sculptures, instead of towering plants and blackened chimneys. The afforestation rate exceeds 30 percent, making it hard to believe that the branch engages in heavy chemical operations.

Walking into the production zone under closed-off management, one can see clean production with internationalization standards, efficient modern control using cutting-edge technology, accurate and strict militarized management, and a clean and comfortable production workshop, all reflecting the branch company's management level and development strength.

A new round of western development has begun. China unveiled guidance to support Inner Mongolia’s development. The autonomous region’s development strategy has been determined, and Baotou, Hohhot and Erdos have been integrated. Things have sped up in Ordos’ path to become a national major development area, creating a blueprint for the new Dalu district to become a key industrial park. By the end of 2015, a 10-million-ton coal chemical base will be built here to satisfy the energy needs of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei. The district will also become an economic and cultural center of Jungar Banner. In such a context, Cui Lianguo, chairman of Jiutai Energy, boldly proposed a strategic plan of building the Jiutai chemical park in Inner Mongolia.

This is not only growth for a company, but also a park and a region.

Good news from coal to oil production

Coal deep processing can produce not only methanol, but also diesel oil, liquid paraffin and liquefied gas.

In May 2002, Yitai Group invested 18 million yuan ($2.93 million) and worked with the Institute of Coal Chemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences to develop coal-based synthetic oil slurry reactor technology, making inroads into coal-to-oil field.

Yitai’s coal-to-oil project is an extension of China’s national 863 high-tech project and the coal-based liquid fuel synthetic pulp reactor industrialization technology, a CAS innovation project.

The project’s main products cover Fischer-Tropsch synthesis diesel, stable light hydrocarbon, liquefied gas and liquid paraffin. Diesel products are clean fuel that contain very little sulfur, carbon residue, ash and low chromaticity. Tests show that diesel exhaust emissions meet Europe’sⅤstandard.

To date, the company has 20 patents for utility models authorized by the State Intellectual Property Office, and a total of six patents for inventions are under review. The company was named one of the top high-tech enterprises in August 2013.

Yitai’s coal-to-oil project is the first production line of China’s coal indirect liquefaction independent technology industrialization and is important for enterprises to undertake risks of national major project research, development and industrialization. The project is also important in accelerating implementation of China’s national coal-to-oil energy strategy.