According to the assessment of the China Petroleum Pipeline Technology Research Center, taking the insulation application of 350-degree Celsius steam pipelines as an example, compared with traditional insulation materials, the thickness of the insulation layer of aerogel can be reduced by two-thirds, energy consumption can be saved by more than 40%, and each kilometer of pipeline can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 125 tons per year. 
Data shows that in 2021, the demand for aerogel in the oil and gas sector accounted for 56% of the total demand, with another 18% used for industrial insulation, 9% for building construction, and 8% for transportation. The National Strategic Advisory Committee for the Development of New Materials pointed out in the "2022 Aerogel Industry Research Report" that the use of aerogel flame-retardant materials in the battery cell modules of new energy vehicles can increase the high-temperature tolerance of battery packs to over 800 degrees Celsius. With the development of the new energy vehicle industry and others, aerogel has a wide range of application scenarios in the new energy vehicle and energy storage industries, and its demand is expected to continue to rise. 
Aerogels have developed rapidly. Li Weike, an analyst at the Institute of International Technology and Economics of the Development Research Center of the State Council, said that in recent years, researchers in China, the United States, Europe and other regions have developed various new types of aerogels, such as biomass-based aerogels, graphene aerogels, and polymer aerogels, by improving the preparation process of aerogels. Notably, biomass raw materials are widely available, low-cost, and rich in carbon sources. Utilizing biomass raw materials to prepare environmentally friendly porous carbon fiber aerogels is an economical and sustainable production method. Therefore, biomass-based aerogels have also become a research hotspot at present. 
For instance, the research team led by Academician Shuhong Yu from the University of Science and Technology of China has developed a super-elastic cellulose aerogel. This cellulose aerogel demonstrates super-elasticity and excellent fatigue resistance that remain constant from room temperature to -196 degrees Celsius, and it has great potential for thermal insulation in harsh environments. Moreover, all the materials used in its preparation are biomass raw materials, which is expected to solve the environmental pollution problems caused by energy-intensive technologies and petrochemical materials. It is an ideal alternative to traditional non-renewable aerogels. 
A research team led by Professor Lu Yun from the Institute of Wood Industry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, has developed the third-generation lignocellulosic aerogel by using wood as the matrix and combining inorganic and organic aerogels with the wood skeleton matrix. By regulating the cellulose of wood and biomass waste, the specific surface area of cellulose has been increased by seven orders of magnitude. The adsorption capacity for oil spills is as high as 75 to 300 times its own weight, and the volume usage is reduced by 50% to 75%. It is degradable and renewable.