Recent Market Intelligence Report on Diethyl Carbonate (DEC)

I. Price Trend
- Base Price: According to Data from Business Network, the benchmark price of diethyl carbonate was RMB 8,700.00 per metric ton on May 25, 2026—up by 3.57% compared to the beginning-of-month price of RMB 8,400.00 per metric ton.
- Recent Fluctuations:
Reference price on May 22 was RMB 8,700.00 per metric ton, up 3.57% from May 1.
Reference price on May 7 was RMB 8,475.00 per metric ton, up 0.89% from May 1.
Reference price on April 27 was RMB 8,400.00 per metric ton, down 2.89% from April 1.
Reference price on April 22 was RMB 8,700.00 per metric ton, up 0.58% from April 1.

II. Market Quotations
- Regional Variation: Quotations differ across regions and suppliers. For example, Suzhou Senfeida Chemical Co., Ltd. (domestically produced, Jiangsu Province/Suzhou City) quotes RMB 14,000 per metric ton, whereas Shandong Yeyang Chemical Co., Ltd. (domestically produced, Shandong Province/Jinan City) quotes RMB 7,800 per metric ton.
- Purity Impact: High-purity grades (e.g., 99.99%) command premium pricing over standard purity products. For instance, Shandong Yeyang Chemical’s 99.99% purity grade is priced at RMB 8,000 per metric ton, versus RMB 7,800 for its 99.8% purity grade.

III. Supply-Demand Dynamics
- Supply Side:
Domestic DEC production capacity continues expanding, reaching 480,000 metric tons per year in 2025—a 11.6% increase year-on-year from 2024.
Market concentration among leading enterprises has increased; top players—including Shandong Feiyang Chemical, Shenghua New Materials, and Haikuo New Energy—collectively account for 63.7% of total national capacity.
- Demand Side:
Demand for DEC as a lithium-ion battery electrolyte solvent remains robust. In 2025, power battery production reached 750 GWh, driving higher specific solvent consumption.
Energy storage battery installations surged to 124 GWh in 2025, representing a 73.6% YoY growth—and exhibiting stronger demand intensity for DEC than automotive batteries.
Demand from pharmaceutical intermediates has grown steadily, with customized synthesis orders increasing by 29.4% YoY in 2025.

IV. Import-Export Situation
- Exports: In 2025, exports totaled 52,000 metric tons, up 19.8% YoY, primarily destined for battery assembly facilities across Southeast Asia.
- Imports: In 2025, imports amounted to 18,000 metric tons, down 8.3% YoY—indicating enhanced domestic substitution capability, especially for high-purity grades.

Analysis & Assessment

I. Key Price Drivers
- Cost Push: Fluctuations in raw material prices—particularly ethanol and ethylene glycol—directly impact DEC production costs. Recent price increases may partly reflect mounting cost pressures.
- Demand Pull: Sustained demand growth from lithium-ion batteries, energy storage systems, and pharmaceutical intermediates—especially structural demand for high-end solvent materials—is supporting upward price momentum.
- Supply Structure: Capacity expansion and purification technology upgrades by leading manufacturers have improved high-purity product supply, yet overall market supply-demand remains in tight balance.

II. Market Trends
- Premiumization: Rapid growth in demand for electronic-grade DEC is raising requirements for ultra-high purity, particulate control, and batch-to-batch consistency—accelerating industry upgrading toward higher value-added segments.
- Green Transition: Stricter environmental regulations are accelerating the replacement of traditional solvents; as an eco-friendly solvent, DEC holds broad application potential in coatings, inks, and related industries.
- Circular Economy: The emergence of lithium battery recycling and electrolyte regeneration industries is facilitating the development of closed-loop recycling pathways for DEC, thereby reducing its full lifecycle cost.

Forecast

I. Price Outlook
- Short Term: Supported by continued downstream demand and cost pressures, DEC prices are expected to remain at elevated levels with moderate volatility—though raw material price fluctuations warrant close monitoring.
- Long Term: As industry capacity gradually ramps up and purification technologies mature, competitive pricing pressure may intensify; however, pricing for premium-grade products is expected to remain relatively stable.

II. Market Prospects
- Demand Growth: Continued expansion in lithium-ion batteries, energy storage systems, and electronic materials will drive sustained growth in DEC market size.
- Structural Upgrading: The share of high-purity electronic-grade DEC is projected to rise further, becoming the primary engine of industry growth.
- Export Potential: Deepening RCEP rules of origin and improvements in green trade corridors between China and Europe offer promising opportunities for further export market expansion.