World's first 10,000-ton CO₂-to-aromatics project nears completion

The world's first industrial-scale demonstration project capable of producing 10,000 metric tons of aromatics annually from carbon dioxide-derived syngas is entering the final stage of construction in Dalu Industrial Park, Juungar Economic Development Zone, Ordos city.

Civil engineering works and commissioning preparations are progressing steadily, with the project expected to be ready for trial operations by June 30.

The project received a total investment of 394 million yuan ($58.14 million). It is based on a one-step CO₂-to-aromatics technology independently developed by Tsinghua University, utilizing proprietary catalysts and integrated industrial processes.

Using carbon dioxide and hydrogen as primary feedstocks, the technology directly converts CO₂ into aromatic hydrocarbons through a dedicated catalytic reaction. Compared with the conventional methanol-to-aromatics route, the process eliminates multiple intermediate conversion stages, resulting in a shorter production chain, lower energy consumption, and reduced carbon emissions.

Once operational, the facility will have an annual production capacity of 10,000 tons of aromatics while consuming approximately 32,000 tons of CO₂ each year. The project is expected to help reduce emissions from the coal chemical industry and support regional low-carbon development.

The demonstration plant represents a new breakthrough in industrial carbon utilization by transforming waste CO₂ into high-value chemical products. Industry observers believe the project could provide a replicable model for carbon reduction, energy efficiency improvement, and industrial upgrading across China's coal chemical sector, while filling a global technological gap in the direct industrial production of aromatics from carbon dioxide.