The Development and Improvement of the Coal Chemical Circular Economy System in China: a Case Study

Abstract

Circular economy plays an essential and useful role in China in considering economic and ecological sustainability. Individual firms, as the primary implements of a circular economy, are facing many obstacles particularly regarding the resource efficiency. The study presents an analytical method to help decision makers better solve these problems and to guide resource-based chemical industries in sustainable development. First, this study describes the SFA of a selected coal chemistry firm and identifies the roles and correlations among relevant modules. Furthermore, by applying economic benefit assessment, key potential opportunities for improvement were identified. The results demonstrate that the economic benefit of coal chemical products presents a cascade as methanol > wash oil and asphalt blending component > crude benzene > thermal power product > coke. For the goal of improving resource efficiency of the whole system, materials shall flow to the product categories with high resource benefits. Thus, expanding the production capacity of methanol to make full use of the coke oven gas and establishing a utilization module of coal ash in consistence with the market needs can lead to a more sustainable system for the target company. The method proposed in this paper can be applied, duplicated, and spread not only within the coal chemical industry but also in other resource-based chemical industries.