China is short of oil and gas resources while coal resources are relatively abundant. Due to the oil shortage as well as the high price, the application of advanced coal transformation technology is needed to reorganize the chemical industrial structure. Moreover, it is also a strategy for China to be more independent concerning oil imports, to better-control the environmental pollution as well as to ensure their energy security and to maintain sustainable economic development in the 21st century.

Chinas raw coal output in 2005 totaled 2.198 billion tons with a year-on-year growth of 12.37%, which increased by double compared to 998 million tons in 2000. The annual compound growth was 17.10%. The output in 2004 was 1.956 billion tons with a year-on-year growth of 13.2%, up 228 million tons. However, coal shortage still exists.

Being the key project of medium-and-long-term national energy development strategy, the coal chemical industry will major in the production of clean energy and substitutes for oil such as diesel, petrol, aviation fuel, liquefied petroleum gas, methyl alcohol, and dimethyl aether etc. It is expected to be a new emerging industry integrated with technology of energy resources and chemical engineering. The coal chemical industry, as an important player in the sustainable development of Chinas energy resources in the next twenty years, will alleviate environmental pollution caused by burning coals, and reduce oil import. In a word, there will be great market demand and opportunities in Chinas coal chemical industry.

Some coal-mining enterprises and regions are currently taking advantage of abundant resources and regard coal chemical engineering as the top priority for their further development. Great efforts have been made in the reorganization of the industrial structure based on the coal chemical.

Generally speaking, the coal chemical industry is still at the initial stage, and much related to such fields as coal, chemical, petroleum, electricity, etc., thus requires huge investments and intensive technology to develop inevitably by means of integration. At the same time, overall planning, technical research & development and systematic optimization are needed to coordinate its development.

Source:未知