Carbon capture is an essential decarbonization tool for reducing emissions worldwide in line with global net-zero targets. Carbon dioxide utilization (CO2U) technologies are a sub-set of carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) technologies that can financially incentivize CO2 capture even without carbon pricing and tax incentives.
“Carbon Dioxide Utilization 2025-2045: Technologies, Market Forecasts, and Players” provides comprehensive coverage of the global CO2 utilization space, giving in-depth analysis of the technological, economic, and environmental aspects that will impact this emerging market over the next twenty years. The report also includes a twenty-year granular forecast for the deployment of 11 CO2U product categories, alongside 40+ interview-based company profiles.
Breakdown of how the share of direct revenue from the sale of CO2 utilization product for each category will change over the next twenty years. Additional streams of revenue such as 45Q tax credits, carbon credit sales, and waste disposal fees not included. Source: IDTechEx
Carbon dioxide utilization technologies refer to the practical use of waste CO2, captured abiotically using direct air capture or point source capture of industrial emissions (including industrial biogenic carbon dioxide sources), to create financial benefits and produce net CO2 emissions reduction or removal. This report includes analysis, benchmarking, key players, and latest advancements for all emerging CO2 utilization areas, enabling emitters to identify the best opportunities in monetizing CO2 recycling.
IDTechEx considers CO2 use cases in enhanced oil recovery, building materials, liquid and gaseous fuels, polymers, chemicals, and in biological yield-boosting (crop greenhouses, algae, and proteins), exploring the technology innovations and profitability within each area.
Chemicals made from captured CO2 are already profitable
Profitable production of CO2-derived polymers has been around for decades. The total annual production capacity of polycarbonate resin using CO2U technology has reached 1 million tonnes. Other essential plastics, such as polyethylene and PET, are starting to be made from CO2 via thermochemical and biological conversion routes. Drop-in chemicals such as CO2-derived ethanol and aromatics are also being commercialized.
While potentially all carbon containing chemicals could utilize carbon dioxide in production, those requiring non-reductive pathways are the most promising due to a smaller energy demand and lack of dependency on low-carbon hydrogen. This report explores synthesis routes for chemical companies to use waste CO2 as a green feedstock, displacing petrochemical products.
CO2-derived fuels could decarbonize the aviation and shipping sectors
Alternative fuels have not achieved price parity with fossil fuels, inhibiting market uptake. However, increased market penetration of CO2-derived fuels is expected to come from regulations already being put in place, such as fuel-blend mandates for long-haul transportation. As green hydrogen electrolyzer capacity scales up worldwide, production of e-fuels from carbon dioxide using power-to-x technology (including e-methanol, synthetic natural gas, e-diesel, e-kerosene, and e-gasoline production) will also increase. Several CO2-derived fuels are already being commercially produced with many more commercial facilities expected over the next decade. These fuels are expected to play a role in decarbonizing shipping and aviation as full electrification of the aviation and maritime sectors is currently unfeasible.
CO2-derived concrete can help build a net-negative future
This report covers how CO2 utilization can lower the carbon footprint of ready-mixed concrete, precast concrete, and carbonate aggregates/supplementary cementitious materials through CO2 mineralization reactions. When CO2 is permanently stored in concrete, performance is improved, and less cement is needed. Growth of CO2-derived building materials will be driven by new certifications, superior materials performance, and the ability to achieve price parity through waste disposal fees and the sale of carbon credits.
Source: idtechex.com