Carbon capture and utilization (CCU) is the process of capturing and recycling carbon dioxide (CO2). Different from carbon capture and storage (CCS), CCU aims to convert the captured CO2 into more valuable products such as fuels (methanol, syngas, biodiesel, and sustainable aviation fuel), plastics, and concrete. The success of CCU could help significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to alleviate the global warming challenge. Moreover, CCU will lead to more sustainable usage of carbon-based fuel and bring more sustainable products to the less developed area and underrepresented groups. Successfully implementing CCU will help approach the sustainable development goal for all human beings.
However, there are significant challenges to capturing CO2 from the environment, including large energy consumption and high overall cost. As of 2021, the cost to remove every tonne of CO2 from the air ranges between US $250 and $600 depending on the energy sources. To overcome these challenges, material innovations such as developing structured adsorbent (or adsorption unit) with high CO2 working capacity, low H2O affinity, and low-pressure drop as well as process innovation in non-thermal intensive methods to decarbonize seawater are needed to reduce the high energy consumption. The availability of other raw materials and the market needs for the products are also important factors to consider for utilizing the captured CO2 . While CCU is beneficial for the environment, there are still gaps in the knowledge of the technology, including the technical feasibility, cost, and economic benefits.
Transportation, injection, and sequestration of captured CO2 into geologic formations always bear environmental risks, such as CO2 leaking, polluting the groundwater, and triggering seismic activity. Therefore, recycling the captured CO2 and utilizing it, such as in the enhanced oil recovery (EOR) process, is more desirable. Recently, the research shifted to using the captured CO2 to produce useful goods such as fuels and chemicals with large market needs. For example, using hydrogen (H2) with CO2 to produce hydrocarbon fuels, including methanol and syngas, could help supply some fuel needed in the transportation sector. There has also been reports on using microalgae to fix CO2 and then converting the algae to fuels and high-value chemicals. Storing CO2 into building materials such as concrete can displace emissions-intensive conventional cement and can become a long-term carbon storage solution. Like capturing CO2 , the immediate challenge is to bring down the cost of utilizing the captured CO2. Careful and reliable techno-economic analysis and life-cycle assessment are needed to reveal the potential economic and environmental impacts of CCU technologies.
The goal of this Research Topic is to provide a summary of the current research progress on material and process innovation for capturing and utilizing CO2, and to stimulate collaboration between chemists, chemical engineers, material scientists, and process engineers to approach the decarbonization goal. Understanding the potential impact of new CO2 capture technologies, such as carbon capture from air and sea, and their economic feasibility is important for the community. Innovation in how CO2 can be made into other useful products, such as fuels, is also worth the attention of a broader community to explore better solutions. As such, we are keen on inviting experts in these areas to share their recent work or perspective on how to achieve a potential economic pathway for CCU to meet the decarbonization goal.
Research work focusing on material and process innovation for CO2 capture and utilization as well as techno-economic analysis and life-cycle assessment for this topic and related sustainable energy application is welcome. Themes may include but are not limited to:
o Novel materials and technology for energy-efficient direct CO2 capture from air.
o Materials and processes that enable energy-efficient decarbonization from seawater.
o CO2 conversion to fuel and chemicals through biochemical and electrochemical routes; and,
o Techno-economic analysis and life-cycle assessment for carbon capture and utilization.
We encourage researchers to submit research and short review manuscripts. However, the topic of the review manuscript may need adjustment to better fit the theme of the Research Topic or to avoid overlapping with other submissions.
Keywords:
CCU, carbon capture and utilization, carbon capture from the environment
Important Note:
All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
Carbon capture and utilization (CCU) is the process of capturing and recycling carbon dioxide (CO2). Different from carbon capture and storage (CCS), CCU aims to convert the captured CO2 into more valuable products such as fuels (methanol, syngas, biodiesel, and sustainable aviation fuel), plastics, and concrete. The success of CCU could help significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to alleviate the global warming challenge. Moreover, CCU will lead to more sustainable usage of carbon-based fuel and bring more sustainable products to the less developed area and underrepresented groups. Successfully implementing CCU will help approach the sustainable development goal for all human beings.
However, there are significant challenges to capturing CO2 from the environment, including large energy consumption and high overall cost. As of 2021, the cost to remove every tonne of CO2 from the air ranges between US $250 and $600 depending on the energy sources. To overcome these challenges, material innovations such as developing structured adsorbent (or adsorption unit) with high CO2 working capacity, low H2O affinity, and low-pressure drop as well as process innovation in non-thermal intensive methods to decarbonize seawater are needed to reduce the high energy consumption. The availability of other raw materials and the market needs for the products are also important factors to consider for utilizing the captured CO2 . While CCU is beneficial for the environment, there are still gaps in the knowledge of the technology, including the technical feasibility, cost, and economic benefits.
Transportation, injection, and sequestration of captured CO2 into geologic formations always bear environmental risks, such as CO2 leaking, polluting the groundwater, and triggering seismic activity. Therefore, recycling the captured CO2 and utilizing it, such as in the enhanced oil recovery (EOR) process, is more desirable. Recently, the research shifted to using the captured CO2 to produce useful goods such as fuels and chemicals with large market needs. For example, using hydrogen (H2) with CO2 to produce hydrocarbon fuels, including methanol and syngas, could help supply some fuel needed in the transportation sector. There has also been reports on using microalgae to fix CO2 and then converting the algae to fuels and high-value chemicals. Storing CO2 into building materials such as concrete can displace emissions-intensive conventional cement and can become a long-term carbon storage solution. Like capturing CO2 , the immediate challenge is to bring down the cost of utilizing the captured CO2. Careful and reliable techno-economic analysis and life-cycle assessment are needed to reveal the potential economic and environmental impacts of CCU technologies.
The goal of this Research Topic is to provide a summary of the current research progress on material and process innovation for capturing and utilizing CO2, and to stimulate collaboration between chemists, chemical engineers, material scientists, and process engineers to approach the decarbonization goal. Understanding the potential impact of new CO2 capture technologies, such as carbon capture from air and sea, and their economic feasibility is important for the community. Innovation in how CO2 can be made into other useful products, such as fuels, is also worth the attention of a broader community to explore better solutions. As such, we are keen on inviting experts in these areas to share their recent work or perspective on how to achieve a potential economic pathway for CCU to meet the decarbonization goal.
Research work focusing on material and process innovation for CO2 capture and utilization as well as techno-economic analysis and life-cycle assessment for this topic and related sustainable energy application is welcome. Themes may include but are not limited to:
o Novel materials and technology for energy-efficient direct CO2 capture from air.
o Materials and processes that enable energy-efficient decarbonization from seawater.
o CO2 conversion to fuel and chemicals through biochemical and electrochemical routes; and,
o Techno-economic analysis and life-cycle assessment for carbon capture and utilization.
We encourage researchers to submit research and short review manuscripts. However, the topic of the review manuscript may need adjustment to better fit the theme of the Research Topic or to avoid overlapping with other submissions.
Keywords:
CCU, carbon capture and utilization, carbon capture from the environment
Important Note:
All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.