This year, the two sessions of the National People's Congress, the National People's Congress, and Dong Mingzhu, chairman of Gree Electric, submitted the “Suggestions on Increasing the Research and Development of Basic Materials” and suggested that the State increase the research and development of high-end wafers, high-end tungsten products and other basic materials.
Dong Mingzhu believes that behind the strong competitiveness of a country, it is inseparable from the support of industry. After unremitting efforts by several generations of Chinese people, the overall scale of China’s industry has continuously expanded, and its strength has also been significantly improved, but the characteristics of large but not strong are still relatively Prominent. The reason is that the basic industrial level is weak, and the more basic, the greater the gap with the leading foreign level, some of the key basic materials, such as high-end wafers, high-end tungsten products, synthetic ester refrigerator oil, environmental protection refrigerant, etc. Production, relying heavily on imports, or failing to break through patent barriers, requires substantial patent fees.
High-end wafer
Dong Mingzhu said in the proposal that integrated circuits are the cornerstone of modern industry, and wafers, which are carriers of integrated circuits, are the basic materials for the integrated circuit industry.
From a global perspective, the wafer industry has a high degree of monopoly, and more than 50% of wafer production capacity is concentrated in Japan. The larger the wafer size, the higher the purity and the more serious the monopoly. According to the IC Insights report of the authoritative semiconductor research institution, 2016 In 2005, the world's top five wafer fabs Japan Shin-Etsu, Japan Sumco, China Taiwan's Universal wafer, Germany's Siltronic, South Korea's LG Siltron, market share of 92%.
From the domestic point of view, the market's mainstream 12-inch wafers (accounting for more than 75% of the market) are completely dependent on imports. The localization rate for 8-inch wafers is 13%, and the localization rate for 6-inch wafers is 50%.
Since the second half of 2016, driven by the demand for automotive electronics and smart terminals, global semiconductor wafer supply has been in short supply, and the supply-demand ratio is less than 93%. Currently, the capacity utilization ratios of the five largest wafer fabs are all close to 100%; during Japan's SUMCO expansion, The increase in production capacity is only in single digits; there are no expansion plans for the remaining wafer fabs.
Based on the above circumstances, it is expected that the shortage of global wafers will be the norm in the next few years. The five major wafer factories will give priority to supplying companies such as the United States and Japan with semiconductors in the domestic market.
2. High-end tungsten products
Tungsten is a high-melting rare metal or refractory rare metal in the field of metallurgy and metal materials. Tungsten and its alloys are one of the most important functional materials in modern industry, national defense and high-tech applications, and are known as 'industrial teeth'. , is an important strategic reserve of the country.
China's tungsten resource reserves amount to 1.9 million tons, accounting for more than 60% of the world's total. At the same time, China is also the world's leading tungsten producer. In 2016, China's tungsten mine output reached 71,000 tons of metal, accounting for 82.2% of the world's total production.
However, China's high-end tungsten products rely mainly on imports. According to statistics, China exports approximately 1 billion U.S. dollars of tungsten raw materials and semi-finished products every year. However, in tungsten carbide tools alone, China consumes nearly 2 billion U.S. dollars per year, which exceeds the total exports of tungsten products in China. Amounts. If you add mining tools, construction tools, electronic products, etc., China's annual tungsten product chain loses billions of dollars.
3. Synthetic ester refrigeration oil
At present, China's air-conditioning production capacity accounts for approximately 80% of global production capacity. The technology and quality of China's air-conditioning products are at the leading level in the world. However, the critical basic product that affects the performance and life of compressors is the compressor refrigerating machine oil, which is completely dependent on imports. The global position of the industry does not match.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, in 2016, the annual output of household air conditioners in China was 143.424 million units, the refrigerators were 8.481 million units, and the market for refrigerants used in auxiliary refrigerants was 100,000 tons or more. Although mineral oils still account for a large proportion in refrigeration oils, However, with the phase-out of HCFCs, their use will be less and less, and the market space for synthetic ester refrigerator oils will be further released, and the tight supply situation will become more prominent.
At present, the domestic synthesis air-conditioner manufacturers use synthetic refrigeration oil products which are all foreign brands. The average air-conditioner installed capacity is about 6.8 to 91,000 tons per year, which is calculated on an average of 300 to 400 ml of oil. This is combined with industrial and commercial refrigeration and after-sales oil. The annual demand for oil is about 10-15 million tons. Compared with the cost of localization and the current import cost, it can reduce the annual expenditure of 500-750 million yuan at least.
4. Environmental protection refrigerant
The development of refrigerant has gone through four generations. At present, developed countries mainly use third-generation refrigerants R32, R410a, R125a, R134a and fourth-generation refrigerants R1234yf, while the domestic refrigeration industry mainly uses second-generation refrigerants R22 and third-generation refrigerants R32, Mainly R410a, Gree Electric, for example, R32 and R410a accounted for nearly 80% of the use.
Although domestic refrigerant materials are rich in fluorite resources, technology research and development is weak. The new refrigerant has patent rights in the hands of Europe, the United States, and Japan. Each generation of refrigerant replacement domestic companies is a follower and lacks core competitiveness. In addition, developed countries rely on technological advantages to become The industry rule-makers have firmly grasped the industry's right to speak and made China in a disadvantageous position in the international competition. This China, as a global refrigeration industry, has a disproportionate position in producing and consuming large countries.
The dependence of basic raw materials on imports will not only cause China to lose a great deal of economic benefits in global trade, but also make the industry upgrades subject to human control, seriously restricting the upgrading of China's industrial development level and upgrading its international status, and directly affecting the core competitiveness of China's industries.
Dong Mingzhu suggested that the state increase the research and development of high-end wafers, high-end tungsten products, synthetic ester refrigerator oil, and other basic materials.
1. The State has set up a special research institute for the research and development of key basic materials, and has fully mobilized research institutes, universities, and industry experts to give the country the power to concentrate on research.
2. Encourage competent and responsible ethnic enterprises to carry out relevant scientific research projects, and provide corresponding policies and financial support;
3. State-owned enterprises and financial investment projects shall give priority to China's independent research and development, independent production of related products, and foster industrial development.