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Carbon Dioxide Utilization: Emerging Technologies to Transform a Greenhouse Gas into Valuable Products and Fuels
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is one of the major greenhouse gases contributing to global warming and climate change. However, recent research and development efforts are exploring innovative ways to convert CO2 emissions from power plants and industrial facilities into useful products. This process, known as carbon capture and utilization (CCU), represents an emerging area that could help mitigate climate change while also generating economic value.
Sources of Carbon Dioxide Utilization
The largest anthropogenic sources of CO2 are fossil fuel-fired power plants and facilities in energy-intensive industries like cement, steel, and fossil fuel production. Power generation alone accounts for over 10 billion metric tons of annual CO2 emissions worldwide. CCU technologies aim to capture waste CO2 from the flue gases of these large stationary sources using various capture techniques. Once captured, the CO2 can then be converted into valuable chemicals, fuels, and construction materials through different catalytic processes.
Production of Methanol and Derivatives
One promising CCU pathway is the production of methanol (CH3OH). Methanol is a key chemical building block widely used to synthesize other commodity chemicals and products. It can be produced by combining captured Carbon Dioxide Utilization with hydrogen, typically obtained through natural gas reforming. Several industrial demonstration plants have been built that synthesize methanol from waste CO2. Methanol can also serve as a transportation fuel or blended into fuel products. Derivatives of methanol like formaldehyde, methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), and dimethyl ether (DME) have substantial global markets as well.
Utilization in Enhanced Oil Recovery
Another major use of captured CO2 is for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) operations. EOR involves injecting CO2 into depleted oil reservoirs to increase extraction of remaining hydrocarbon deposits trapped underground. The CO2 mixes with and helps mobilize residual oil, allowing more of it to be recovered. An estimated 67 million metric tons of CO2 were used for EOR globally in 2020, according to the IEA. EOR presents an opportunity to productively utilize waste CO2 while also extending the life of mature oilfields. It has successfully been demonstrated as a CO2 storage method as well.
Manufacturing of Polymers and Concrete
Waste CO2 can react with epoxides like propylene oxide or ethylene oxide to produce polymers like polycarbonate and polyols. Polycarbonates see wide use in automotive, electrical/electronic, and construction applications for their desirable material properties. Polyols are precursors for polyurethane products widely used in furnishings, appliances, insulation, and adhesives. CO2 can even be transformed into aggregates and cementitious materials for the concrete industry. One approach mineralizes CO2 into calcite (CaCO3) to synthesize “carbon-cured” concrete with strength and performance matching traditional cement. These diverse applications directly incorporate CO2 into high-volume commercial and industrial products with long operating lifecycles.
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