However, reliance on energy-intensive anthracite coal, which consumes about 30,000 tons of premium coal to produce 10,000 tons of product, drove up costs and intensified competition in the low-end market.

In 2022, after field studies in Hebei and Hainan provinces, Tingyuan refocused on fruit-shell activated carbon technology. Since beginning operations in March 2024, it has procured 50,000 tons of peach and apricot shells from the surrounding area, produced 2,000 tons of activated carbon and generated 30 million yuan in revenue, turning local agricultural waste into profit.