On March 15, 2025, Geneva - At the recent International Organosilicon Industry Summit, representatives from 30 countries around the world jointly discussed the green transformation path of the industry. The meeting pointed out that with the advancement of global carbon neutrality goals, the organic silicon industry is shifting from traditional chemical models to circular economy models, with biobased raw materials, waste recycling and low-carbon processes becoming core issues.


Biobased raw materials: breaking through oil dependence
Traditional organic silicon production heavily relies on petroleum based methanol and silicon ore, with carbon emissions accounting for over 70% of the entire lifecycle. In recent years, breakthroughs have been made in bio based methanol technology using agricultural waste as raw material. A research institution successfully synthesized high-purity methanol by gasifying corn stover and sugarcane bagasse, with a carbon footprint reduced by 85% compared to fossil based products. At present, this technology has been piloted in Southeast Asia, and it is expected to form an annual production capacity of 500000 tons of bio based methanol by 2026, covering 15% of the global demand for organic silicon raw materials.


Waste Recycling: From "End of pipe Treatment" to "Resource Regeneration"
The recycling rate of organic silicon products at the end of their lifespan is less than 10%, and a large amount of siloxane compounds enter the environment, causing long-term pollution. The "molecular cracking recombination" technology developed by a laboratory in Germany can decompose waste silica gel into silane monomers at 500 ℃, and then re synthesize medical grade silicone rubber through catalytic polymerization, with a purity of 99.9%. This technology has been applied to the recycling of automotive sealing strips, with an annual processing capacity of 2000 tons per production line and a cost reduction of 40% compared to raw materials.


Low carbon technology: as the energy efficiency revolution progresses
The "microwave-assisted synthesis method" developed by a multinational enterprise reduces energy consumption in the production of organosilicon monomers by 60%. This method uses microwave to directly heat the reactants instead of traditional steam heating, reducing the reaction time from 8 hours to 45 minutes. In addition, a new catalyst can increase the selectivity of hydrosilylation reaction from 85% to 98%, reducing the generation of by-products. According to estimates, if the above-mentioned technologies are promoted globally, the carbon emissions of the organic silicon industry can decrease by 55% compared to 2020 by 2030.


Market outlook: Green premium drives transformation
The EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) will be fully implemented by 2026, and the export of organic silicon products will be required to disclose their full lifecycle carbon footprint. A consulting company predicts that by 2028, the price of green certified silicone products will be 12% -18% higher than traditional products, but the annual growth rate of market demand will reach 25%. A Chinese think tank suggests that companies should accelerate the layout of bio based raw material bases and participate in the international carbon trading market, offsetting some emissions by purchasing carbon credits.