A driver for investment in carbon dioxide utilisation will be the ability to maintain security in the supply of fuels and commodity chemicals that have traditionally relied on petrochemical feedstocks. Petrochemical prices are indexed to crude oil prices and fluctuation can lead to supply and price instabilities. By utilising CO2 it is possible to retain carbon within a cycle. It may be that the carbon is trapped in a permanent form, such as through accelerated mineralisation, to produce construction materials and polymer formation, or stored within an energy vector, such as a synthetic liquid fuel. However, with conversion to fuels, capture of CO2 from the air would ultimately be necessary to maintain the cycle. Within the wide spectrum of possible products there are valuable intermediates including synthesis gas and small molecule organics that can be targeted.
A non-exhaustive list of reasons for interest in CO2 utilisation*
| Societal or policy objective | ||||||
|
Reason |
Climate |
Environment |
Energy security | Feedstock diversification |
Competitiveness |
Innovation |
|
To create profitable business based on the demand for CO2 end-products |
YES |
|
YES |
YES |
||
|
To help reduce fossil (fuel) dependency |
YES |
YES |
YES | YES |
|
YES |
|
To improve the carbon footprint of the industry |
YES |
YES |
YES |
YES |
||
|
To make use of the specific attributes of CO2, to foster product innovation |
|
|
YES |
YES |
||
|
To reduce the cost and environmental impact by using CO2 in process innovation |
|
YES |
YES |
YES |
||
|
To help the industry transition to a more circular economy |
|
YES |
YES |
|
YES |
|
|
To use the excess-supply of renewable (or conventional) energy production; doing so it will support the development of renewable energy |
|
YES |
YES |
|
YES |
|
* Table is adapted from IEA, 2014, CCS 2014: What lies in store for CCS? (link provided at documents)
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