Establishing CO2 as a Viable Feedstock
Funded through the Grand Challenge: Innovative Carbon Uses Round 1 in 2014, the Liquid Light, Inc. project demonstrated at a small scale, the production of chemicals from carbon dioxide using Liquid Light’s technology, and to provide proof that the system has the potential for broad adoption in Alberta. Through this project, the company has shown that a commercially viable path to GHG reductions by establishing CO2 as a feedstock to produce mono-ethylene glycol (MEG). CO2 is an ideal feedstock given its abundance and low cost.
Following the successful demonstration of mono-ethylene glycol (MEG) production from CO2 at lab scale, Liquid Light advanced its process development by integrating all steps into a continuous end-to-end system. The company achieved high-purity MEG (above 99.9%) and demonstrated yields exceeding 80% across each process stage. These results validated the technical feasibility of the platform and provided the foundational data needed for pilot-scale design. A full life cycle analysis (LCA) confirmed that the process can deliver significant greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions—particularly when powered by renewable electricity and paired with low-carbon hydrogen sources.
Building Momentum Through Strategic Partnering
The project also attracted strategic interest from global partners, including a technology development agreement with The Coca-Cola Company to explore the use of CO2-derived MEG in plant-based PET bottles. This collaboration highlights the commercial relevance of Liquid Light’s technology in sustainable packaging and consumer goods. In parallel, the company filed 11 new patent applications and secured 12 patents, reinforcing its intellectual property position. A techno-economic analysis further demonstrated that the process could be cost-competitive with conventional MEG production, especially in jurisdictions with access to low-carbon energy.
What’s next?
Since project completion, Liquid Light successfully demonstrated the commercial viability of converting CO2 into mono-ethylene glycol (MEG) using low-energy catalytic electrochemistry. Their process showed that only $125 worth of CO2 was needed to produce one tonne of MEG—significantly cheaper than the $617–$1,113 cost of conventional oil- or gas-based feedstocks. The company entered into a technology development agreement with The Coca-Cola Company to support its PlantBottle packaging program. This partnership aimed to accelerate the development of Liquid Light’s CO2-to-MEG technology for use in sustainable PET plastics. However, there have been no public announcements of pilot plant construction or commercial-scale deployment since the original project, so the future potential of the technology is unclear.