The global push for carbon neutrality, coupled with the implementation of China’s domestic “dual carbon” policies, is driving the chemical industry toward a greener, low-carbon, and sustainable transformation. As a green alternative to traditional petrochemical-derived propylene glycol, bio-based propylene glycol is seeing steadily increasing market demand due to its renewable feedstocks and low carbon footprint. Currently, China’s bio-based propylene glycol industry has established a full industrial chain—from raw material supply and technological R&D to downstream applications—gradually breaking the monopoly of petrochemical feedstocks, alleviating supply chain constraints, and providing critical support for the green upgrading of China’s material systems.
1. Raw Material End: Diversified Layout to Strengthen the Industrial Chain Foundation
The raw material segment of bio-based propylene glycol has formed a diversified supply structure, effectively mitigating the risks of reliance on a single feedstock. Mainstream production technologies currently utilize renewable resources such as corn and glycerol through microbial fermentation. At the same time, non-food feedstock technologies are maturing, enabling the use of corn stover and agricultural by-products, reducing reliance on food resources and increasing agricultural waste utilization. Leading domestic enterprises have established regionalized feedstock security systems, integrating technologies for comprehensive utilization of agricultural by-products, significantly enhancing raw material supply stability and laying a solid foundation for full industrial chain development.
2. Technology: Breaking through core bottlenecks and achieving large-scale mass production.
With breakthroughs in technologies such as synthetic biology and continuous fermentation, the industrialization of bio-based propylene glycol in China is accelerating. Previously, core production technologies were largely monopolized by international giants, resulting in limited domestic production capacity and high costs. However, some domestic companies have now overcome key technological challenges, achieving ton-scale production of high-purity bio-based propylene glycol, with significant improvements in conversion efficiency and product purity. By 2025, China's bio-based propylene glycol production capacity is expected to exceed 150,000 tons per year, more than double the 2021 figure. Production processes are becoming increasingly mature, and costs have decreased by over 50% compared to 2015, laying the foundation for large-scale replacement of petrochemical raw materials.
3. Application End: Multi-Sector Penetration to Expand Industrial Development Space
Applications of bio-based propylene glycol continue to expand, deeply penetrating multiple high-potential sectors. In the materials sector, it is used in the production of PTT fibers and biodegradable plastics such as PBS, with PTT fibers, known as the “king of polyesters,” capturing 40% of the low-elasticity spandex market. In the personal care sector, it serves as a humectant and solvent widely used in cosmetics and skincare products. In pharmaceuticals, it functions as an excipient for drug formulation. Additionally, demand is growing rapidly in emerging fields such as electrolyte additives for new energy vehicles and eco-friendly coatings, injecting new momentum into industry development.
4. Industrial Chain: Coordinated Upgrading to Strengthen Competitive Advantages
China’s bio-based propylene glycol industry has achieved coordinated development across the entire industrial chain, forming a complete closed loop from “raw material supply → technological R&D → manufacturing → downstream applications.” Upstream feedstock suppliers and midstream manufacturers maintain close cooperation to secure resources and optimize cost structures. Midstream enterprises are increasing R&D investment, promoting process iteration and capacity expansion. Downstream end-users actively develop green products, driving large-scale application of bio-based propylene glycol. Policy support and capital investment further empower industrial chain upgrades, strengthening China’s competitive edge in the global bio-based materials market.
Conclusion
The establishment of a full industrial chain for bio-based propylene glycol not only enables large-scale replacement of petrochemical feedstocks, reducing reliance on imports and environmental pressures, but also drives the green, low-carbon, and sustainable upgrading of material systems. Looking ahead, with continuous technological iteration, further cost optimization, and expanding application scenarios, bio-based propylene glycol is expected to gradually dominate the propylene glycol market, supporting high-quality development across the chemical, materials, and personal care sectors, and providing critical backing for China’s “dual carbon” goals and green industrial transformation.
