The construction site of the new coal-to-ethylene glycol plant in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia [Photo/Inner Mongolia Daily]

A major coal to ethylene glycol, or CTEG plant, is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2020 in Hohhot, capital city of North China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region, according to local media reports.

Ethylene glycol is an industrial chemical compound mainly used as a raw material in manufacturing polyester fibers and in auto engine coolant and antifreeze products.

The project -- being developed by Inner Mongolia Jiutai New Material Co -- is expected to have an annual production of 1 million tons of coal to ethylene glycol when in operation.

Local officials said the new plant is a key industrial construction project in the autonomous region.

They said the plant will cost 11.7 billion yuan ($1.68 billion) and cover an area of 2,565 mu, or 171 hectares -- making it the biggest single ethylene glycol production plant in China.

The plant will use advanced technology to produce ethylene glycol, the characteristics of high output, short processing times, low energy consumption, high conversion rates and high light transmittances.

The project was launched on September 29, 2017 and the construction was scheduled for three years.

Officials said the plant will undergo test runs by the end of 2020 and go into full  production in 2021, after which it will realize annual revenue of 10.6 billion yuan and taxed profits of 3.66 billion yuan.