**400,000 tons per year of ethylene glycol production has begun; PGA biodegradable plastics will be produced as a by-product, setting a new trend in coal-based ethylene glycol production!

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**400,000 tons per year of ethylene glycol production has begun; PGA biodegradable plastics will be produced as a by-product, setting a new trend in coal-based ethylene glycol production! Author/Source: Coal-based New Materials Date: 2021-11-22 Clicks: 12 At 10 a.m. on November 21, the 400,000 tons per year ethylene glycol production project at Yulin Chemical Industry of **Energy Group successfully completed the entire production process and produced qualified ethylene glycol products. This project utilizes **the group’s own technologies; it was designed and constructed by the same group, with all equipment being of domestic origin. In particular, the core unit, a 100,000-ton/year carbonylation reactor, is the largest ethylene glycol carbonylation reactor in operation in China. Construction of this project began in July 2018; it was completed by CCCC in June 2021. On November 16 at 21:43, dinitrogen tetroxide was introduced, and qualified ethylene glycol product was produced over a period of 108 hours. The successful commissioning of this project lays the foundation for transitioning to the production of polylactic acid-based biodegradable plastics in the future, and it holds significant demonstrative value and a positive impact on promoting the transformation of the coal chemical industry toward a direction characterized by higher sophistication, greater diversity, and lower carbon emissions. On September 13, 2021, ****personally visited the ethylene glycol production facility of **Energy Group in Yulin to conduct an inspection and deliver an important speech, expressing high praise for Yulin Chemical’s commitment to innovative development as well as to safe, stable, and clean operations. He emphasized that the coal chemical industry holds great potential and a bright future; it is necessary to improve the comprehensive utilization of coal as a raw material for chemical production, promote the high-end, diversified, and low-carbon development of this industry, prioritize technological innovation as an urgent task, accelerate research and development in key core technologies, and actively develop coal-based specialty fuels and coal-based biodegradable materials. ” Unlike traditional coal-based ethylene glycol projects, **Energy Group Yulin Chemical actively explores new models for integrated coal chemical operations, making full use of the advantages of large-scale investment and centralized layout. It is deeply integrated with the 1.8 million tons per year coal-to-methanol plant that is already in operation, as well as with the world’s first pilot project for producing 50,000 tons per year of polyglycolic acid-based biodegradable materials under construction. By making use of the excess syngas and utility services available from the coal-to-methanol plant, co-production is achieved; moreover, the exhaust gases emitted by the ethylene glycol production unit are recycled as raw materials for the coal-to-methanol plant. This approach enables the circular and clean utilization of coal, resulting in significant improvements in economic benefits and environmental performance. Compared with coal-based ethylene glycol plants of the same scale, the investment cost is reduced by about 30%, and the total cost of the product is reduced by about 20%. Meanwhile, in order to further extend the industrial chain and enhance the value chain, the company uses dimethyl oxalate, an intermediate product from its ethylene glycol project, as a raw material to produce polylactic acid-based biodegradable plastics. Compared with the production of traditional plastics, the use of such biodegradable plastics reduces coal consumption per ton of product by about 50%, cuts carbon dioxide emissions by around 65%, and increases the industrial added value by 2–3 times. In the future, Yulin Chemical Industry will follow the strategic layout for coal-based oil and gas production outlined in the 14th Five-Year Plan. By carrying out further processing of its products to extend the industrial chain, by integrating new energy sources to supplement it, and by focusing on the development of coal-based specialty fuels and biodegradable materials to strengthen this chain, it will work to ensure energy security. It will also push the coal chemical industry toward a more advanced, diversified, and low-carbon development model, striving to be a pioneer in China in pursuing a green and low-carbon transformation path characterized by innovative technologies, low energy consumption, high efficiency, and international competitiveness. Through practical actions and tangible results, it will fulfill the high expectations placed upon it. **The Yulin 50,000-ton biodegradable plastic (PGA) project of the Energy Group is located in the Qingshui Industrial Park in Dabaochang Town, Shenmu City, Yulin City, Shaanxi Province. Covering an area of 9.8 hectares, it utilizes technology provided by Shanghai Pujing Chemicals. With a total investment of around 1 billion yuan, it is a model project of ** level and represents an extension of the coal-to-olefins industry chain. Polyglycolic acid-based products possess good biodegradability and biocompatibility, high mechanical strength, excellent formability, and superior gas barrier properties, making them suitable for use in packaging materials, surgical sutures, and other applications. On March 1, 2021, the **50,000-ton/year polyglycolic acid demonstration project of Energy Yulin Chemical was officially launched. It is reported that, in accordance with Yulin City’s major (preliminary) project plan for 2021, **Yulin Energy Chemical Co., Ltd. of the Energy Group plans to build a project for the production of 1.6 million tons per year of coal-based biodegradable materials in the Yushen Industrial Zone.