Shenghong Petrochemical – Wentian Li – 2025

Summary

In the summer of 2025, Climate Corps fellow Wentian Li from Nanjing University joined Shenghong Petrochemical to assess the feasibility of hydrogen energy in the petrochemical industry.

Goals

Shenghong Petrochemical, a leading player in the chemical industry, engaged Climate Corps fellow Wentian Li to assess the feasibility of hydrogen energy applications within the petrochemical sector. This evaluation aimed to address prevalent uncertainties regarding the economic and technical viability of hydrogen utilization, clarify policy timelines and market conditions, and identify strategic opportunities for green hydrogen integration to support decarbonization goals.

Solutions

The fellow addressed this challenge through a structured three-phase approach:
1. Conducted extensive policy and standard analysis, reviewing 24+ national and 30+ provincial Chinese policies, 5 international policy documents, over 13 carbon accounting standards, and 70+ hydrogen-related technical standards to establish regulatory and market benchmarks.
2. Performed techno-economic analysis of hydrogen production, storage, and transportation, compiling a list of 50+ equipment suppliers and 30+ leading technology providers to derive key techno-economic indicators for green hydrogen.
3. Analyzed 8 major application scenarios, with case studies and economic modeling for green methanol and green ammonia, including sensitivity analysis to inform future green industry chain investment decisions.

Potential Impact

The project provided Shenghong Petrochemical with a comprehensive, evidence-based foundation for hydrogen strategy development. It identified viable pathways for green hydrogen adoption and supplied critical data, ranging from policy benchmarks and cost structures to application-specific economics. The findings support strategic planning, risk mitigation, and investment prioritization in green hydrogen and its derivatives, positioning Shenghong to lead the low-carbon transition of the petrochemical industry.