Sustainable and feasible carbon capture and utilization pathways towards net-zero

Carbon capture and utilization is an emerging technology used to mitigate CO2 emissions. Incorporating captured CO2 as a raw material in the chemical industry provides a sustainable CO2 reduction approach rather than mere disposal. Existing literature showcases successful experiments demonstrating CO2's feasibility as a raw material. However, not all carbon capture and utilization products have the capacity to efficiently utilize substantial amounts of CO2 or be economically viable. Therefore, this study concentrates on investigating carbon capture and utilization processes, warranting further exploration and comparison with conventional process based on techno-economic feasibility, sustainability, and market potential by proposing novel methodology. Sustainable feasibility index was developed to rank promising carbon capture and utilization processes based on techno-economic, environmental, and market size considerations. Eleven high-potential products were investigated. Acetic acid, formic acid, and calcium formate were identified as the top-ranking products for the base cases. Results from carbon to hydrogen mass ratio indicated decreasing the global warming index of CO2 have a larger effect compared to decreasing the global warming index of H2 on overall carbon footprint of the products. Future projections with respect to raw material sources show the changes in CO2 sources when compared to changes in the hydrogen and electricity sources, have the most significant effects on the levelized cost of the product and global warming index. Additionally, this work seeks to ease the decision-making for stakeholders regarding the selection of feasible and sustainable carbon capture and utilization processes with a detailed comparative investigation.