Process modeling, techno-economic assessment, and life cycle assessment of the electrochemical reduction of CO2: a review

The electrochemical reduction of CO2 has emerged as a promising alternative to traditional fossil-based technologies for the synthesis of chemicals. Its industrial implementation could lead to a reduction in the carbon footprint of chemicals and the mitigation of climate change impacts caused by hard-to-decarbonize industrial applications, among other benefits. However, the current low technology readiness levels of such emerging technologies make it hard to predict their performance at industrial scales. During the past few years, researchers have developed diverse techniques to model and assess the electrochemical reduction of CO2 toward its industrial implementation. The aim of this literature review is to provide a comprehensive overview of techno-economic and life cycle assessment methods and pave the way for future assessment approaches. First, we identify which modeling approaches have been conducted to extend analysis to the production scale. Next, we explore the metrics used to evaluate such systems, regarding technical, environmental, and economic aspects. Finally, we assess the challenges and research opportunities for the industrial implementation of CO2 reduction via electrolysis.

Automated summary

The electrochemical reduction of CO2 is seen as a promising alternative to traditional fossil fuel technologies for chemical synthesis, but the low technology readiness levels make it difficult to predict performance at an industrial scale. Researchers have developed various techniques to assess these technologies, focusing on technical, environmental, and economic aspects, in order to evaluate the challenges and opportunities for industrial implementation of CO2 reduction through electrolysis.