CO2 removed from the air or from processes can be transformed into high added value products

The European Union (EU) has established a plan to eliminate net GHG emissions, mainly caused by carbon dioxide (CO2), by 2050, in order to achieve a climate-neutral society.

The development of CO2 capture processes can generate huge stocks of CO2 that are removed from the air, but what can we do with them?

This publication addresses the different technologies for using CO2, their challenges and opportunities.

What promising technologies are there for using CO2?

The use of carbon dioxide (CO2) has become one of the most promising strategies to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change.

This technology allows the transformation of captured CO2 into industrial products such as carbonates, urea, methanol and other chemical products, as well as applications in oil recovery and the food industry.

What CO2-derived products exist?

Products obtained from CO2 are divided into two groups:

• 🌱 Products that do not require carbon reduction: These include carbonates and urea, which are relatively easy to produce.
• 🔋 Products that require carbon reduction: This includes methanol and methane, which are more energy-intensive to produce.

These products have great potential in sectors such as:

• 🏗️ Construction industry: Using CO2 to produce sustainable materials and chemicals.
• 🚗 Sustainable mobility: Manufacturing synthetic fuels or liquid e-fuels from captured CO2, which can reduce emissions from the transport sector, as they have a low or zero carbon footprint.

How to make these technologies competitive?

One of the biggest challenges facing this technology is the high cost of capturing and purifying CO2, along with producing the hydrogen needed to reduce CO2 to useful products. These high costs make it difficult to compete with conventional methods, delaying its adoption on a large scale.

For CO2 valorisation to be viable, it is essential that it is integrated with renewable energy sources. In addition, government policies play a crucial role in providing the necessary incentives to make these technologies more accessible and competitive.

Key strategies to boost the energy transition:

1. 🌍 Incentivise investment in CO2 capture and utilisation technologies.
2. 🌞 Promote the use of renewable energy to reduce the energy costs of capture.
3. 🔬 Support research and development of new technologies to improve process efficiency.

If you want to know more about the technologies, challenges and opportunities to transform CO2 into high value-added products, you can download the attached document.