This year, the methanol industry needs to focus on five specific areas of work.

　　On April 18, Gu Zongqin, Chairman of the China Nitrogen Fertilizer Industry Association, pointed out at the 2019 China Methanol Industry Conference held in Shanghai that in 2019, facing a complex and ever-changing international environment and the real pressure of domestic economic downturn, the entire industry must firmly grasp the general tone of "seeking progress while maintaining stability." It is necessary to adhere to supply-side structural reform as the main line, accelerate the pace of energy conservation and environmental protection, safe production, circular economy, and comprehensive resource utilization, and promote high-quality and efficient development of the industry.

　　Gu Zongqin emphasized that this year, the national methanol industry should focus on five specific tasks:

　　First, guide rational growth of production capacity. Gu Zongqin explained that in recent years, with the continuous development of emerging downstream products and the recovery of market prices, China's methanol production capacity has increased without reduction. With the improvement of industry technology and equipment levels, new installations tend to be large-scale projects, often at the 1 million tons/year or 1.8 million tons/year level. Large coal chemical projects require high investment and consume a lot of energy, greatly impacting the market and industry. Project planning and construction should be cautious, suppress impulsiveness, and fully consider resources, environment, market, and other factors to avoid blind following. It is necessary to adhere to the requirements of "acting within one's capacity, water availability, and environmental carrying capacity," and strictly prohibit the construction or expansion of methanol plants in ecologically sensitive areas, water-scarce regions, and areas with tight raw material resources.

　　Second, promote standardized development of energy-attribute downstream products. Gu Zongqin pointed out that the continuous development of downstream products provides sustained demand momentum for the industry. Methanol fuel has undoubtedly become another downstream application with huge development potential after coal (methanol) to olefins. However, methanol used as vehicle fuel, boiler fuel, especially stove fuel, still faces many irregularities. The relevant standard system is not sound, and regulatory measures are imperfect, making it a gray area with serious safety hazards. Gu Zongqin emphasized that accelerating the improvement of industrial policies, technical standards, and market application guarantee systems is the key focus of the next step. The issuance of "Guiding Opinions on the Application of Methanol Vehicles in Some Regions" provides favorable policy support for the development and application of methanol as an energy-attribute downstream product, and also proposes work requirements conducive to promoting the healthy development of methanol fuel. For example, it requires establishing a complete quality control and safety management system for methanol fuel production, storage, transportation, etc.; supports organizing the formulation of relevant standards such as methanol benchmark fuel technical requirements based on existing national, industry, and group standards; improves methanol fuel and refueling system standards; studies and formulates design and construction specifications for vehicle methanol fuel refueling stations, vehicle methanol fuel operation safety specifications, methanol fuel dedicated refueling machines, methanol fuel additives, and other standards. These also provide references for the standardized development of methanol fuel for boilers and stoves, helping to actively promote the formulation and implementation of related group standards, local standards, and industry standards.

　　Third, guide enterprises to reasonably arrange product structures. Gu Zongqin pointed out that methanol production enterprises should broaden their horizons and have a long-term perspective, fully explore their own advantages, and deeply investigate market conditions. Whether in the development of high value-added downstream products or starting from synthesis gas, enterprises have much to do to expand the industrial chain, improve product added value, and enhance market competitiveness. They should actively transform towards modern coal chemical and fine coal chemical industries, focusing on the development of differentiated, personalized, and high-end fine chemical products, high-end chemicals, and new chemical materials with high added value in coal chemical downstream products, extending the industrial chain and expanding industrial fields. For example, metallocene polyolefins, α-high carbon copolyolefins, and currently mainly imported high-end resin materials, high-performance engineering plastics, high-performance surfactants, as well as carbon one chemical products based on synthesis gas and their derivatives.

　　Fourth, firmly grasp safety and environmental protection work without relaxation. Gu Zongqin said that recent safety accidents have caused heavy casualties, serious economic losses, social impacts, and environmental damage, once again sounding the alarm: there is no small matter in safety production, and prevention is key. Any safety accident is caused by unsafe human behavior, unsafe conditions of objects, and irregular management, and any unsafe accident is preventable. This requires enterprises to firmly establish safety concepts and the idea of safety first, focusing on preventing and curbing major and serious accidents, strictly adhering to safety bottom lines, strengthening process control, safety risk management, and emergency management and response capabilities to ensure absolutely safe production.

　　Gu Zongqin said that at the beginning of this year, the China Nitrogen Fertilizer Industry Association and the Petrochemical Federation jointly carried out a "Special Action Survey on Safety and Environmental Protection Improvement in the Nitrogen Fertilizer and Methanol Industry," conducting safety and environmental protection investigations on Shandong Hualu Hengsheng and Jiangsu Linggu Chemical. Li Shousheng, President of the Petrochemical Federation, attached great importance to this activity, personally participating and providing guidance. This activity left a deep impression on me. On the one hand, it made me realize that safety production is never-ending, and even first-class enterprises like Hualu Hengsheng and Linggu Chemical still have room for further improvement; on the other hand, this type of safety survey work has significance for further development. Unlike supervision and inspection by safety and environmental protection departments, more self-inspection and mutual inspection activities can be carried out, adhering to strict, detailed, and high requirements for the industry, discovering problems, improving safety management awareness, implementing safety management responsibilities, and enhancing safety management levels and intrinsic safety requirements.

　　Fifth, promote sustainable development of the industry relying on technological innovation and green development. Gu Zongqin emphasized that technological progress is a powerful driving force for the industry's green development, and green development is an inevitable choice for the industry's sustainable development. First, create a good innovation atmosphere. Actively promote the construction of innovation platforms and incentive mechanisms, increase investment in innovation funds, focus on cultivating innovative talents and teams, and provide support capabilities for the industry's innovative development. Second, based on existing development, use technological and management innovation to improve the industry's development level. Strengthen the development of major key technologies and equipment, and improve self-sufficiency. Third, with a strategic vision of innovative development, layout the industry's and enterprises' future development roadmap according to industry development trends. While enhancing their own R&D capabilities, fully leverage the strength of universities and research institutes, emphasizing the combination of "internal and external forces," and promote the integration of "production, education, research, and application." Fourth, fully recognize the importance, urgency, and difficulty of forming green development, accelerate the construction of a green, circular, low-carbon industrial system, and promote the development, promotion, and application of green environmental protection technologies. Fifth, continue to carry out activities conducive to technological progress and energy conservation and emission reduction, such as the "Nitrogen Fertilizer and Methanol Industry Technology Progress Award" held by the China Nitrogen Fertilizer Industry Association for three consecutive years, advanced applicable technologies for energy conservation and emission reduction during the "13th Five-Year Plan" period, selection of advanced units and individuals for energy conservation and emission reduction in the nitrogen fertilizer and methanol industry, and the "Leader" award for energy efficiency of key energy-consuming products jointly organized by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Petrochemical Federation recommended by the China Nitrogen Fertilizer Industry Association. Through these activities, accelerate the promotion and application of advanced technologies, establish energy-saving models and benchmarks, and promote technological progress and green development in the industry.