How Bio-based 1,2-Propylene Glycol is Produced
Key Pathways:
- Hydrogenolysis of Bio-glycerol
- Crude or refined glycerol, a by-product of biodiesel, is converted into 1,2-PG via catalytic hydrogenolysis using Cu, Ru, or Ni-based catalysts under high pressure and temperature.
- Main route used commercially today.
- Fermentation of Sugars
- Glucose or sorbitol can be fermented or chemically converted into lactic acid or pyruvaldehyde, followed by reduction to yield PG.
- Enzymatic and chemo-catalytic hybrid routes are under development.
- Biomass Gasification + Syngas Conversion (emerging)
- Syngas from lignocellulosic biomass can be catalytically upgraded to PG, though still at lab scale.
Feedstocks: Crude glycerol (biodiesel), sorbitol, corn glucose, lignocellulosic sugars (in R&D).
Case Study: ADM (USA) – Bio-based Propylene Glycol from Glycerol
Highlights:
- ADM developed and commercialized a glycerol-to-PG route using renewable biodiesel by-products.
- Offers PG for USP-grade (pharma, food) and industrial-grade (coolants, resins) markets.
- Certified by USDA BioPreferred® Program with 50–100% bio-based content.
Timeline & Outcome:
- 2008: ADM opens first commercial bio-PG plant in Decatur, Illinois.
- 2011–2016: Expands product line to include USP and technical-grade bio-PG.
- 2020–2024: Collaborates with bio-resin manufacturers for low-carbon antifreeze and adhesives.
Global Startups Working on Bio-based Propylene Glycol
- Metabolic Explorer (France) – Develops sugar-to-PG bioconversion using engineered bacterial strains.
- Oleon (Belgium) – Converts vegetable oil glycerol into bio-PG for cosmetics and cleaning formulations.
- GFBiochemicals (Italy) – Investigates levulinic acid to PG conversion as part of C6 platform development.
- Lygos (USA) – Targets organic acid–based PG synthesis through precision fermentation.
India’s Position
- India is a major producer of biodiesel by-product glycerol, but it is underutilized for value-added chemicals.
- VAV Life Sciences and Godrej Chemicals explore glycerol valorization for specialty ingredients, though PG is not yet industrialized.
- CSIR–IICT and ICT Mumbai have conducted pilot studies on Cu-catalyzed glycerol hydrogenolysis.
- Bio-PG is currently imported for use in pharma, personal care, and automotive coolant blends.
Commercialization Outlook
Market & Demand
- Global PG market: ~$4.5 billion (2024), CAGR ~5.6%.
- Bio-PG forms ~10–15% of market share, growing with sustainability and safety mandates.
- Applications:
- Pharma excipients and food humectants
- Coolants and antifreeze
- Polyester resins and adhesives
- Cosmetics and personal care
Key Drivers
- Preference for GRAS-certified, low-toxicity, renewable solvents.
- Increased glycerol availability from expanding biodiesel capacity.
- Regulatory push for low-VOC, bio-based additives in adhesives and paints.
- Brand-driven demand for bio-ingredients in cosmetics and food.
Challenges to Address
- Hydrogenolysis processes are capital- and energy-intensive.
- Requires robust catalyst recovery and crude glycerol pre-treatment.
- Lack of industrial capacity in Asia, especially India.
- Bio-PG must match performance and price of fossil PG to gain traction.
Progress Indicators
- 2008: ADM commercializes glycerol-based PG.
- 2014–2018: Oleon and Metabolic Explorer initiate bio-PG cosmetic lines.
- 2020–2023: Fermentation-based PG emerges as sustainable alternative to chemical conversion.
- India: R&D at IICT and ICT on pilot-level glycerol valorization; commercial activity pending.
Glycerol-to-propylene glycol conversion is at TRL 9 (fully commercial) in the US/EU. Fermentation and bio-sugar routes are at TRL 5–7, depending on strain efficiency and downstream processing.
Conclusion
Bio-based 1,2-propylene glycol offers a sustainable and functionally equivalent alternative to its fossil-derived counterpart, especially for cosmetic, food, and industrial applications. Its production from glycerol, a biodiesel by-product, aligns with circular and low-carbon goals, while also enabling waste valorization. With India’s abundant glycerol supply, there is significant potential to build local bio-PG production capacity, reducing import dependency and enabling integration into domestic pharma, food, and resin sectors. Strategic scale-up and catalyst efficiency improvements will be key to unlocking this opportunity.
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