Facing global carbon neutrality goals and increasingly stringent environmental regulations, the traditional coatings industry is under unprecedented pressure to transform. As a major source of VOC emissions, the industry’s long-standing reliance on fossil-based production is facing fundamental change. Recently, bio-based propylene glycol has achieved technological breakthroughs and large-scale application, providing the industry with a key raw material alternative that delivers comparable performance while significantly reducing carbon footprint. This marks the coatings industry’s green transformation entering an accelerated stage driven by core materials.

1. Urgent Need for Industry Transformation

Propylene glycol is a core raw material for producing high-performance polyurethane resins. Its fossil-based route not only consumes non-renewable resources but also generates high carbon emissions during production. With the advancement of policies such as the EU Green Deal and China’s “Dual Carbon” goals, coupled with growing consumer demand for eco-friendly products, coatings manufacturers face dual pressures: meeting strict environmental standards while maintaining product performance and cost competitiveness. Finding feasible green alternative raw materials has become a critical issue for industry development.

2. Technological Breakthroughs and Performance

Bio-based propylene glycol is produced using advanced biotechnology from renewable resources such as corn and sugarcane, achieving high-purity synthesis with a chemical structure identical to petroleum-based products. The breakthrough lies in the combination of efficient biocatalysis and refining processes, ensuring that the product meets key coating requirements such as functionality and reactivity. Currently, bio-based products from leading companies match or even surpass traditional products in purity, color, and stability. Large-scale production continues to optimize costs, enhancing market competitiveness and laying the foundation for broad substitution.

3. Application Expansion and Market Response

Bio-based propylene glycol has been successfully applied in environmentally friendly coatings systems, including waterborne polyurethane, high-solids, and UV-curable coatings. In practical applications, it not only significantly reduces VOC content in formulations but also imparts excellent weather resistance, flexibility, and chemical resistance to coatings. In high-end wood coatings, industrial protective coatings, and other segments, products using bio-based raw materials have obtained multiple international green certifications, providing brands with an effective way to demonstrate environmental commitment and meet consumer sustainability preferences. Market feedback indicates that green performance is becoming a key differentiator, driving the entire supply chain toward environmental sustainability.

4. Carbon Reduction Contribution and Value Chain Reshaping

From a full lifecycle perspective, bio-based propylene glycol delivers significant carbon reduction. The CO₂ absorption during the growth of renewable feedstocks reduces its overall carbon footprint by 50%-80% compared to fossil-based products. This advantage translates directly into downstream coatings, helping companies address trade policy challenges such as the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. More profoundly, this shift is reshaping the collaboration model across the entire industry chain—from agriculture and biorefining to chemical production and coatings manufacturing—creating a new green value chain and promoting the industry ecosystem’s transition toward a circular economy.

5. Policy Support

Governments worldwide are actively promoting the industrial use of bio-based materials through green procurement lists, tax incentives, and R&D subsidies. With expanded production capacity, further technological maturation, and the development of non-food biomass feedstocks, the cost of bio-based propylene glycol is expected to continue declining. Its applications are likely to expand from high-end niche markets to mainstream areas such as construction, automotive, and furniture. Industry consensus is becoming clear: adopting bio-based raw materials has shifted from an optional choice to a strategic necessity for maintaining long-term competitiveness.

Conclusion

The successful application of bio-based propylene glycol marks the coatings industry’s green transformation moving from conceptual advocacy to substantive material substitution. This change not only reduces reliance on fossil resources and lowers environmental impact but also drives value chain restructuring across the entire industry.