The most abundant energy on Earth is solar and it is a versatile resource that is to be used to improve the sustainability of the chemical and process industry. Two main pillars support these industries, the raw materials and energy. Energy in the chemical industry is to be provided in the form of utilities such as steam, thermal energy and power. All of them can be provided by transforming solar thermal energy. This work presents the perspectives on the process integration of solar thermal plants and/or solar thermal energy within the chemical industry, describing the state of the art and the technology readiness level of units and facilities as well as the challenges and opportunities that the integration of solar thermal energy in the chemical industry generate for the process system engineering community, aiming at reaching the goals of the agenda 2030.

地球上最丰富的能源是太阳能，它是一种用途广泛的资源，可用于提高化学和加工工业的可持续性。支撑这些行业的两大支柱是原材料和能源。化学工业中的能源将以公用事业的形式提供，例如蒸汽、热能和电力。所有这些都可以通过转换太阳能热能来提供。这项工作提出了关于太阳能热电厂和/或太阳能热能在化学工业中的过程整合的观点，描述了最新技术水平和单位和设施的技术准备水平，以及整合的挑战和机遇。化学工业中的太阳能热能为过程系统工程界产生，