Challenges and opportunities for the

greenhouse gas (GHG) emission

reduction of chemical industry
PAN Jiarong
College of Chemistry, Sanxia University
Yichang, Hubei Province, P R China

Abstract. Chemical Industry is an indispensible

material in construction industry, additives,

part

lubricant, coolant used in products from the

of

the

Environmental

whole
pollution

social

economy.

brought

by

the

departments

of

foods,

machines

and

chemical industry has been paid full attention.

refrigeration; but also the final goods consumed

However the new challenge encountered by the

by people in their daily life, including chemical

chemical industry, which is GHG emission

fiber, medicine, detergent, ink, adhesive etc..

reduction, is not including CO2,but also

However, the production, application and

including GHG other than CO2.Thus, the

consumption of chemical products involve the

sustainable development of chemical industry

noxious and poisonous chemical elements,

must based on the attempts of controlling the

leading to the serious environmental pollutions.

emissions of conventional l poisonous pollutions,

Since the 1960s, serious industrial pollutions are

as well as accelerating the emission reduction of

mostly related to the process of chemical

GHG to protect the global climate.

production,

and

the

application

and

consumption of chemical industry.

Key Words: chemical industry, greenhouse gas
(GHG)

emission

reduction,

opportunity,

challenge

Along with the conditions of ineffective control

of conventional pollution, chemical industry has
to face the challenges of global environmental

1. From controlling the reduction of poisonous

issues:

gases

causing

the

ozone

layer

chemical pollution to the innocuous GHG

destruction caused by organic compounds CFC

emissions

and HALON, CO2 and non-CO2 GHG emissions

resulting in the global warming. Because of the

As an important industrial department of

regulations

national

and

(International trade sanctions) and economic

economy development is closely linked with the

incentives (providing economic and technical

improvement of peoples life quality. Chemical

assistance to the developing countries), related

industry helps offers not only necessary means

chemical

of production and intermediate products for

innovations of technology and products, using

other

including

HFC and PFC which is not harmful or

chemical fertilizer and pesticide in agricultural

comparatively much less harmful to the ozone

industry, dyeing in the textile industry, coating

layer, controlling emissions and use alternative

1/6

economy,

industrial

chemical

industry

departments,

of

industry

international

has

agreement

experienced

the

technology etc.. These innovations have made

consumption. Petrochemical, coal, chemical

improvements

fertilizer, pesticide, plastic and other genera of

during

the

process

of

adaptations.

heavy chemical industry is characterized by its

requisitions of a lot of energy consumption. The

According to the Kyoto Protocol, besides CO2,

energy consumption in the chemical industry of

there are still six non-CO2 GHGs: methane (CH4),

the U.S. is made up to nearly 1/4 of the total

nitrous

of

energy consumption of manufacturing industry

fluorine-containing gas (including HFCs), SF6 and

of the whole America, 6.8% of the total energy

NF3. Among those, CH4 and N2O are the already

consumption of its whole nation. In 2009,

existing components in the nature, while HFCs

chemical raw materials and its products of China

PFCs SF6 and NF3 are the products of

consumes 0.289 billions of tons of coal

increasing human activities, especially the heavy

equivalent, making up to 14% of the total

chemical industry which consumes too much

energy consumption of manufacturing industry,

energy and uses oil, coal and other fossil fuels

10% of the total energy consumption of the

for the production of raw materials

for the

whole industry nationwide. If the petrochemical,

large

coking, chemical fiber, medicine, plastics and

consumption of fossil fuels is indirect ly

rubber industries are included, the energy

associated with GHG emissions. Dragging HFCs

consumptions is exceed 1/5 of that of the whole

and other GHGs into the list of emission

industry

reduction can help supervise and control the

manufacturing industry. Almost all the chemical

chemical product, which is undoubtedly a huge

materials and products need to consume large

impaction to the chemical industry. Chemical

amounts of energy and electricity. Take the

industry is expected to make great efforts to

production of synthetic ammonia as an example,

deal with the new serious challenge of global

in 2000, 1.7 tons of coal equivalents is required

environmental protection.

to generate 1 ton of synthetic ammonia

related

oxide

(N2O),

enterprises.

Because

kinds

the

nationwide,

1/4

of

that

of

products; in 2009, even though the unit energy

2. Fossil fuel consumption and GHG emissions

consumption has decreased, 1 ton of synthetic

in chemical production

ammonia still requires of 1.55 tons of coal

Most chemical processes involved in chemical

equivalents, 35% beyond the advanced world

production is in need of extremely high energy

level.(See table 1)

Table 1 Energy consumption index of parts of the main chemical products in China and
international comparison
China

2009 Gap
Advanced

2000

2005

2008

2009

world level

Energy
+%
consumption

Comprehensive
consumption

energy
of

crude

118

114

108

106

oil
73

33

31.1

347

35.6

553

35

processing /kgce/t

Comprehensive

energy

1125

1073

1010

976

consumption of ethylene /kgce/t

Comprehensive

2/6

energy

629

1699

1650

1581

1553

1000

consumption of synthetic ammonia

/kgce/t

Comprehensive

energy

1448

1351

1293

1250

43

3.3

1067

922

916

910

0.7

406

396

355

323
310

13

4.1

3000

395

11.6

consumption of diaphragm caustic

soda /kgce/t

Comprehensive
consumption

energy
of

caustic

soda

ion-exchange membrane /kgce/t

Comprehensive

energy

consumption of soda ash /kgce/t

Calcium

carbide

consumption

3475

3450

3440

3395

/kWh/t

Data Souse: The Ministry of industry and information; the Trade Association; Japan Institute of
energy economics and Energy Economics Handbook of statistics, 2010; IEA, OECD national energy
statistics, 2010.
3. Chemical products with nitrogen and

reduce 96~346 million ton relatively in 2020. In

fluorine

China, the totally amount of HFC emission in

The amount of CO2 emission in 2010 is 30.326

2010 is about 130 million ton (50% of HFC-23 is

billion ton all over the world (IEA, 2012), while

destroyed by CDM), it will increase to 340

the non CO2 greenhouse gases contribute

million ton in 2015 (suppose CDM stop in 2015

11.702 billion ton (equivalent CO2 mass), which

and no additional mechanism is implemented

is about 27.8% of total greenhouse gases

on HFC-23), and 450 million ton in 2020.

emission. Among them, methane contributes

7.194 billion ton (61.5% of non CO2 greenhouse

As shown on table 2, the global warming effect

gases); nitrogen oxide contributes 3.633 billion

of these compounds is 10 ~10 times larger than

ton (31%); fluoride contributes 0.876 billion ton

equivalent mass of CO2. They also have a long

(7.5%). There are three main N2O sources during

duration in atmosphere up to 50 thousand years.

the

industry:

Based on the bond of Montreal Protocol on

production processes of nitric acid, adipic acid

Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, the

and caprolactam. Currently, production process

production and utilization of substances that

of nitric acid is a significant source of N2O in

deplete the ozone layer will be generally

atmosphere, as well as that of chemical industry

terminated after 2020. The emission of HFC,

(IPCC, 2006). According to The second national

carbon fluoride and SF6 will increase significantly,

assessment report on climate change, the

which take the place of substances that deplete

fluoride emission during industrial process in

the ozone layer. These fluoride compounds are

2005 is about 93~282 million ton equivalent CO 2

produced to protect the ozone layer, which is

mass; with ideal technology and fond, the

depressed by the consideration of global

amount of fluoride emission has a potential to

warming effect. On the other hand, these

3/6

development

of

Chinese

compounds are important to the national

include CFC, HFC and substances bonded by

economy and society. The emission of HFC is

Montreal Protocol.

mainly from cooling, air conditioner and heating

2. Predictions based on representative values on

pump. Substitutes without halogens include

IPCC A1 (development and globalization).

alkanes, NH3, CO2 etc. However, related

Reference source: IPCC [2000] Special report on

technologies are underdeveloped. The second

emission plan, p265.

source of HFC is the polymer foam for insulation

in buildings, transportations and pipelines,

Non foam insulation material such as mineral

which is a fast growing source that replace the

fiber can be used. But this technology is

position of CFC. Existing substitutes include

inefficient in the aspect of economic. The

pentane and CO2. These substitutes have a

productions

lower global warming potential, but their

medical sol, aerosol extinguisher, semiconductor

insulation performance also reduced.

and non-insulation foams also need to use

Table 2 global warming potential (GWP) of

fluoride compounds that lead to the emission of

carbon halogen compounds

HFC. Although there are some mitigation

Types

of

other

industrial

solutions,

Duration

method, but there is no substitutes for medical

100

in

production and extinguisher, which has no or

years

atmosphe

low GWP.

Formul

GWP

as

in

re
CFCs

CxClyF

4000~93

50~1700

chemical industry

00
bromo-triflu

CBrF3

4. Emission reduction of greenhouse gases in

5600

Chemical industry is a fond and technology

65

oro

intensive industry with an average capital

-carbon

investment two times of other industries. A

HFCs

CHxFy

140~117

5.6~48.3

emission reduction requirement in Kyoto

00
carbon

CxFy

65~9200

fluoride
sulfur

SF6

research from US proposed that, comply the

23900

2600~500

Protocol will cause a depression of US chemical

00

industry as well as related commerce and

3200

employment. Without the international quota

hexafluoride

trading of carbon emission, the price of carbon

Note: global warming potential (GWP) is the

will rise to 274 US dollar per ton and the price of

ratio of the warming effect of equal mass CO2.

oil will be doubled. The cost of chemical

Reference source: IPCC [2000] Special report on

industry will significantly increase. Up to 2010,

emission plan, p265.

the chemical production in US will reduce 43

Table 3 emission of fluoride compounds

billion US dollar, which is 12.4% less than the

Unit: kilo ton/year

1990

2020

2050

substances

1864

253

21

that

estimation
without
emission
reduction
2100
1requirement. Chemical facilities with high

deplete the ozone

energy cost, such as bases, fertilizer and

layer

chemical mining, will be affected seriously.

HFC

6.4

517.9

1470.2

carbon fluoride

17.4

23.2

48.2

SF6

5.8

7.3

18.3

Note:
1. Substances that deplete the ozone layer
4/6

Exportation of chemical produced will decrease

1567.3
27% while the import will increase 11%. The
62.7
chemical industry in US will reduce 120-150k
14.5
staffs.
Using CO2 or hydrocarbons to substitutes HFCs

in cooling, insulation foam and extinguisher field,

level, but the magnitude of the decline is limited

the cost of emission reduction is shown on table

(see Table 1). In the past half a century, the

4. These technologies under used have greatly

energy consumption per unit of output of the

difference in cost. As HFC just replaced the

chemical raw materials of caustic soda used in

position of CFC, it is going to be replaced by

the production of a glass plate did fall, but

other product. From this aspect, the challenge

compared with the international advanced level,

of

further saving space is limited.

environment

protection

that

chemical

industry must confront is variably and serious.

Table 4 emission reduction cost of HFC

On one side, GHG emission reduction has

substitutes (US dollar per ton carbon equivalent

negative effects on the production of chemical

emission)

industry, while on the other hand, positive

substitutes
HFC-134a

for
currently

used

for

effects on that can also be seen. Measures of

HFC-134a

emission reduction of GHG of chemical industry

substitutes
modified

with less drain

may bring benefits instead of adding costs. For

1.4kg,

3.2kg,

0.4kg,

2kg, not

instance, incensement of energy efficiency

recycled,

not

recycled,

recycled,

caused by heat and power cogeneration not

10 year

recycled,

10 year

10 year

only greatly reduces energy consumption,

saving the cost of production, but also reduces

10 year
408-692

84-212

840-28442

136-436

the amount of CO2 emissions. Take Dow

Note:

Chemicals Company as an example, since the

1.

Assume the energy efficiency of current

heat and power cogeneration was taken into

used compound and substitutes are equal;

practice in 1990s, it helps the company reduce a

compared with current HFC system, the

great amount of energy costs and avoid 12.8

cost of every cooling equipment will

million tons of CO2 emissions. This company

increase 60-90 yuan; 4% discount.

uses the chlorofluoromethane that has the low

Cost includes both producer part (25%) and

instead of the chlorofluoromethane that has the

consumer part (75%).

high potential for atmospheric warming. This

2.

Reference source: IPCC (2011) climate change in

newly developed insulation materials supply

2011, emission reduction, chapter 3.

market, which is equivalent to reducing CO2

emissions by 3.7 million tons. CO2 emissions per

Due to the technological innovations and the

ton from chemical products of Dow Chemicals

improvements of administration, the GHG

Companys branches in Canada emissions

emission reduction of chemical industry has

decreased from 0.5 tons in 1991 to 0.2 tons in

made instinctive achievements though there is

1998.

no pressure of CO2 emission reduction. On the

achievements of emissions reduction of Dow

other hand, it is not simple for the emission

Chemicals Company are made without the

reduction of the chemical industry. Since the

relative environmental standards or pressure of

mid-1980, in terms of the chimerical products,

emissions reduction. On the contrary, Dow

America had no further achievements of the

Chemicals Company value the GHG emission

reductions either of unit energy consumption or

reduction challenge as an opportunity, which

of the CO2 emissions. China's calcium carbide

means that if a company seizes the opportunity,

production, electricity consumption per ton of

it will become the first to occupy the

product is declining. Although there still exists

commanding heights of industry with the

big disparity with the international advanced

international

5/6

Whats

more,

competition.

the

efforts

That

could

and

be

assumed as the reason why such an old

References

large-scale chemical company as Dow Chemicals

1.

Company can win every time and keep

Sustainability Dow Public Affairs. Michigan 4pp.

continuously developing in different challenges.

2.

UNFCCC. Kyoto Protocol. Bonn.

In 1998, Dow Chemicals Company with another

3.

National Statistic Bureau of China, Statistic

company

Yearbook of China, 2011.

invested

to

generate

polymeric

Dow Chemicals.2000.Company Quest for

compounds with a variety of active acid from

4.

IPCC. 2000. Special Report on Emissions

corn, which may produce renewable resources

Scenarios. Cambridge University Press.599pp.

as the basis of carbohydrate plastics to replace

5.

fossil fuel based hydrocarbon plastics. Visionary

2001:Mitigation.Cambridge University Press

companies are looking to the future.

6.

IPCC.2001.Climite

Change

IEA, World Energy Outlook. International

Energy Agency, Paris.

5. Challenges and opportunities faced by the
greenhouse gas emission reduction of chemical
industry of China

PAN Jiarong, Professor of Chemistry. Worked

with Sanxia University, teaching and supervising

China's chemical industry is facing the problems

of obsolete equipment, backward technology,
and shortage of funds, exclusive system and lack
of personnel. Any efforts relative to the
improvement of energy efficiency or reducing
GHG emissions is likely to encounter with
different kinds of challenges.
Backbone chemical enterprises in China should
strengthen self-constructionwhich includes (1)
Accelerate capital turnover and rapidly update
obsolete equipment with low energy efficiency;
(2)Improve the scale efficiency and reduce the
energy consumption per unit of output; (3)
Strengthen research and development, promote
technological innovation and new product
development, and realize the implementation of
commercial production as soon as possible; (4)
Make efforts on the technology introduction,
absorption and development. In terms of
international technology introduction, it is
expected to put more efforts on digestion and
absorption as soon as possible, to narrow the
gap, and exceed the advanced countries to form
competitive

advantage

instead

of

always

keeping the equal distance to follow other

countries.

6/6

students for chemistry.