Accelerate the Development of Biomass Energy Industrial Chain

—An Interview with Wang Qing, Deputy to the National People's Congress and Master Technician of China Petrochemical Corporation

The government work report proposes improving policies for promoting green and low-carbon development and fostering new growth drivers such as hydrogen energy and green fuels. In an exclusive interview with reporters from China Energy Media, Wang Qing, Deputy to the National People's Congress and Master Technician of China Petrochemical Corporation, stated that it is imperative to accelerate the development of the biomass energy industrial chain.

As an internationally recognized zero-carbon renewable energy source, biomass energy holds significant strategic importance for building a new energy system and achieving the dual carbon goals. Developing biomass energy is conducive to improving energy self-sufficiency, disposing of organic waste, improving the ecological environment and boosting rural vitalization. It serves as the integration point of the green transformation of traditional energy businesses and the cultivation of new productive forces. China boasts abundant biomass resources, with an annual output of over 3.5 billion tons, presenting enormous potential for energy utilization. However, the industrial development is still plagued by bottlenecks such as difficulties in raw material collection, weak industrial chain coordination and pending breakthroughs in key technologies.

In this regard, Wang Qing put forward four suggestions:

First, strengthen top-level design and policy support to optimize the industrial development environment. At the national level, formulate and issue a medium and long-term plan for the integrated development of biomass energy and green chemical industry, clarify industrial positioning, technological paths and regional layout, improve policies such as green finance and product subsidies, and support qualified traditional energy enterprises to take the lead in laying out national-level comprehensive utilization demonstration bases for biomass energy in resource-rich areas.

Second, improve the raw material guarantee system to consolidate the foundation for industrial development. At the national level, strengthen macro guidance, implement the county-wide promotion strategy, and coordinate the construction of large-scale collection, storage and transportation systems for organic waste such as straw, manure waste and biological waste oil. Cultivate specialized and socialized service organizations to supply raw materials to qualified biomass energy processing enterprises, establish stable supply relations, improve resource utilization efficiency and effectively reduce comprehensive costs.

Third, increase investment in scientific and technological research and achievement transformation to enhance the core competitiveness of the industry. Relying on the R&D and engineering advantages of large state-owned petrochemical enterprises, set up special projects in the national key R&D programs and support them to take the lead in establishing a National-level Innovation Center for Biomass Energy. Led by leading petrochemical enterprises, increase the development of key technologies for the recycling of waste biomass, accelerate the transformation of scientific research achievements from the laboratory to industrial application, reduce the processing costs of the entire industrial chain and enhance core competitiveness.

Fourth, expand diversified application scenarios and foster market demand to drive the large-scale development of the industry. Support large state-owned petrochemical groups to take advantage of existing refining and chemical enterprises and pipeline infrastructure in resource-rich areas to build coupling demonstration bases featuring distributed biomass raw material processing centers plus centralized green energy enterprises. Convert scattered raw materials into target products such as biogas, natural gas and industrial-grade mixed oil, transport them through pipelines or other means, and conduct centralized processing and production of clean energy and high-end chemical products such as bio-aviation kerosene, green methanol and green ammonia. Provide comprehensive energy solutions for society and create a replicable and sustainable new industrial model of biomass resources-green chemical industry.