Experts Discuss Green, Low-Carbon And Sustainable Development Of Chemical Engineering In The Intelligent Era At The 12th World Congress Of Chemical Engineering

Experts Discuss Green, Low-carbon and Sustainable Development of Chemical Engineering in the Intelligent Era at the 12th World Congress of Chemical Engineering

China Youth Daily Client, Beijing, July 17 (Reporter Liu Yinheng, China Youth Daily and China Youth Net) From July 14 to 17, the 12th World Congress of Chemical Engineering (WCCE12) and the 21st Asian Pacific Confederation of Chemical Engineering (APCChE) Congress were held in Beijing. Participants engaged in discussions on cutting-edge technologies and low-carbon transformation, exchanging views on new topics such as the development of chemical engineering in the intelligent era.

On July 17, the five-day 12th World Congress of Chemical Engineering and the 21st Asian Pacific Confederation of Chemical Engineering Congress concluded. Photo courtesy of the organizer.

Zou Caineng, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and CNPC's Chief Expert of New Energy, stated that hydrogen energy is a typical representative of new energy. Currently, hydrogen energy development still faces challenges such as power fluctuations in renewable energy-based hydrogen production, frequent start-stop cycles of electrolyzers, high equipment costs, and the need to enhance the energy density and efficiency of hydrogen storage and transportation. To address these, he proposed focusing on breakthroughs in three key areas: First, accelerating the establishment of a green hydrogen industrial system akin to the natural gas industry, building large-scale green hydrogen production bases powered by renewable electricity in oil and gas basins, and planning green hydrogen pipeline networks. Second, advancing a "three-step" strategy for the technological systems of green hydrogen production, storage and transportation, and utilization. Third, speeding up the replacement of grey and blue hydrogen with green hydrogen, supporting the construction of a new energy system through innovation across the entire industrial chain.

Li Jianxin, a technical expert from CNPC Planning and Engineering Institute, believes that against the backdrop of the global push for carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, the chemical industry is accelerating its transformation towards green, low-carbon, and sustainable development. First, synthetic biology-driven biomanufacturing technologies, through innovative means such as gene editing and enzyme engineering, enable renewable feedstocks and low-carbon production, fostering entirely new industrial ecosystems in pharmaceuticals, materials, energy, and other fields. Second, new circular economy technologies are beginning to assist in achieving closed-loop recycling of chemical materials, promoting comprehensive green and low-carbon transformation of the economy and society. It is essential to vigorously develop relevant technologies to further lead the industry's transformation toward green and low-carbon development.

Li Junpeng, President of Huawei's Chemical and Building Materials Sector, introduced that as technologies like cloud computing and artificial intelligence gradually mature, numerous chemical enterprises are seizing the opportunity to initiate intelligent pilots. Huawei and its industry clients are leveraging foundational capabilities such as large vision models, predictive models, and scientific computing models to explore applications in production safety, equipment maintenance, process optimization, and new product development.

Xiao Gang, an internationally renowned hydrogen energy scientist and Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC), pointed out that in green hydrogen production, the current mainstream technologies include four pathways: Alkaline (ALK), Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM), Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cell (SOEC), and Anion Exchange Membrane (AEM), all advancing rapidly in China. He cautioned against solely "betting" on one technological route. Instead, diversified deployment should be considered across dimensions like application scenarios, cost control, and material availability. He suggested researchers pursue breakthroughs in both efficiency and material systems to advance localization efforts and reduce costs.

Zhang Laiyong, former Chief Technical Expert of China Huanqiu Contracting & Engineering Co., Ltd. (HQC) and National Engineering Survey and Design Master, asserted that the most significant transformation in the chemical industry over the next decade will be the deep integration of the process revolution driven by carbon neutrality imperatives and the comprehensive application of AI. These two forces, mutually driving and inseparable, will reshape the fundamental logic of the industry.

It is reported that the congress registered 4,952 participants from 66 countries across six continents, including Asia, Europe, North America, and South America. This set a new record for attendance and achieved the broadest geographical coverage in the event's history. Leaders and representatives from over 30 international organizations attended, bringing new perspectives and advancements from the global chemical engineering field, sharing cutting-edge technologies and innovative achievements, and collectively promoting the prosperity and development of the global chemical industry. The accompanying "International Chemical Innovation Exhibition 2025" attracted more than 130 global enterprises and institutions, with an exhibition area exceeding 11,000 square meters. Over a thousand corporate representatives and more than 20,000 professional visitors attended the exhibition.