In a significant breakthrough for sustainable chemistry, Econic Technologies has declared that its partner Changhua Chemical has released the world’s first commercial-scale manufacturing site for polycarbonate ether (PCE) polyols, a latest class of polyols made from carbon dioxide.
Branded as Carnol, the products uses Econic’s proprietary technology to supply high overall performance with a 30% lower carbon footprint as compared to conventional polyols.
The new plant, situated in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, will manufacture about 80,000 tons of Carnol in 2026, with a intention to scale manufacturing to over one million tons within the coming years.
Carnol polyols are created for polyurethane foams, coatings, elastomers, and other applications, providing both environmental and performance advantages. Flexible foams made with Carnol boast lower carbon emissions, improved load-bearing, and superior tensile strength as compared to industry benchmarks. Other programs include lightweight automotive parts, protective apparel and footwear, and insulating building materials.
“The launching of this plant is a watershed moment for the chemical industry. It shows the industrial readiness of captured carbon utilization. Now brand owners and producers throughout the entire price chain can lower their carbon footprint by using captured CO2 as a sustainable raw material.
“Along with Changhua Chemical we are forming value from something that was once waste and paving the way for large adoption of this technology within the polyurethanes market and beyond,” stated Keith Wiggins, CEO of Econic Technologies.
“China’s chemical sector has an possibility to help supply worldwide sustainability targets. At Changhua Chemical, we are proud to guide this alteration for the polyurethanes industry. As we bring our latest plant online, we target to drive the transition to this green technology. This market-based industrial model, using with readily available CO2, is replicable and can be sustainably increased to decarbonize without compromising performance,” stated Gu, Chairman and Owner of Changhua Group.
This landmark plant signals a major step closer to industrial -scale carbon utilization, proving that eco-friendly material can meet real-world overall performance standards even as cutting emissions.
