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Title: Evaluating the techno-economic potential of defossilized air-to-syngas pathways

Journal Article · · Energy & Environmental Science
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/d3ee02589f · OSTI ID:2205681
ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [3]; ORCiD logo [4]; ORCiD logo [5]
  1. University of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)
  2. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
  3. University of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States); National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Delft University of Technology (Netherlands)
  4. University of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States); National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
  5. University of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States); Delft University of Technology (Netherlands)

Defossilizing the chemical industry using air-to-chemical processes offers a promising solution to driving down the emission trajectory to net-zero by 2050. Syngas is a key intermediate in the chemical industry, which can be produced from electrolytic H2 and air-sourced CO2. To techno-economically assess possible emerging air-to-syngas routes, we develop detailed process simulations of direct air CO2 capture, proton exchange membrane water electrolysis, and CO2 electrolysis. Our results show that renewable electricity prices of ≤$15 per MW h enable the replacement of current syngas production methods with CO2 electrolysis at CO2 avoidance costs of about $200 per t-CO2. In addition, we identify necessary future advances that enable economic competition of CO2 electrolysis with traditional syngas production methods, including a reverse water gas shift. Indeed, we find an improved CO2 electrolysis process (total current density = 1.5 A cm-2, CO2 single-pass conversion = 54%, and CO faradaic efficiency = 90%) that can economically compete with the reverse water gas shift at an optimal cell voltage of about 2.00 V, an electricity price of $28–42 per MW h, a CO2 capture cost of $100 per t-CO2, and CO2 taxes of $100–300 per t-CO2. Finally, we discuss the integration of the presented emerging air-to-syngas routes with variable renewable power systems and their social impacts in future deployments. This work paints a holistic picture of the targets required to economically realize a defossilized syngas production method that is in alignment with net-zero goals.

Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program
Grant/Contract Number:
AC36-08GO28308
OSTI ID:
2205681
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 2229566
Report Number(s):
NREL/JA-6A40-88273; MainId:89048; UUID:254b2300-a578-401a-9c7c-55ffe83572ca; MainAdminID:71274
Journal Information:
Energy & Environmental Science, Vol. 16, Issue 12; ISSN 1754-5692
Publisher:
Royal Society of ChemistryCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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