Xu Chunming, academician of the CAS Member: The hydrogen energy industry chain is very complex, much higher than that of petrochemical industry

On May 29, it was reported that at the recent 2023 Zhongguancun New Energy Storage and Hydrogen Energy Industry Forum, Academician Xu Chunming of the Chinese Academy of Sciences made a keynote speech around the development of green electricity and hydrogen technology under the dual carbon strategy.Xu Chunming pointed out that under the dual carbon strategy, the growth of GDP and dependence on energy are a rigid relationship, and any economic development must rely on energy input

On May 29, it was reported that at the recent 2023 Zhongguancun New Energy Storage and Hydrogen Energy Industry Forum, Academician Xu Chunming of the Chinese Academy of Sciences made a keynote speech around the development of green electricity and hydrogen technology under the dual carbon strategy.

Xu Chunming pointed out that under the dual carbon strategy, the growth of GDP and dependence on energy are a rigid relationship, and any economic development must rely on energy input. With the rapid development of our economy, the total energy consumption in China will inevitably increase rapidly. However, energy consumption does not necessarily mean carbon dioxide emissions. We use green electricity and green hydrogen as carbon free energy, which is also a fundamental relationship.

Xu Chunming emphasized that it is precisely because of this demand that our industry can achieve energy conservation the fastest and most quickly. By adopting various means, whether it is through technology, equipment, materials, or the use of digital and intelligent empowerment, we can improve our efficiency and reduce energy consumption. An important data here is energy consumption intensity, which has been our industry's efforts for many years, resulting in a rapid decline in energy consumption per unit of GDP. Even so, our current energy consumption per unit of GDP is still far higher than the international advanced average level, and we still have great potential in this regard.

In the long run, the structural adjustment of energy is fundamental, and in the process, a lot of pressure currently comes from carbon dioxide: how to control carbon dioxide emissions in a short period of time while also implementing the disposal of carbon dioxide has become particularly important. Therefore, hydrogen energy has become an absolute protagonist and hotspot.

Xu Chunming believes that the hydrogen energy industry chain is a very complex industry chain, even much higher than the familiar petrochemical and coal chemical industry chains. In addition, some key core equipment and materials in the industrial chain are still in the research and development or initial production stage.

Xu Chunming pointed out that in addition to the accumulation and cultivation of the hydrogen energy industry chain, how can the rapidly growing green electricity and green hydrogen be used in traditional industries to replace traditional fossil fuels now is also an important choice. Our team has made some beneficial attempts, using green electricity as a new heating method, such as ethylene cracking, to turn it into the desired diene. Each ton of ethylene requires several hundred kilograms of fuel to be consumed. If these fuels are replaced with green electricity, preliminary results have been completed in the laboratory. With only 1000-1500 kilowatt hours of electricity, it can replace several hundred kilograms of fuel to achieve the heating process. Reducing the cost of electricity to less than 20 cents per kilowatt hour or even lower means that it is not only technically feasible, but also economically competitive.