General Techno-Economic Analysis of CO2 Electrolysis Systems

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.7b03514
• Publication Date: 2018-01-19T20:12:11Z
• Authors: Matthew Jouny; Wesley Luc; Feng Jiao
• Keywords: Overpotential

The electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) has received significant attention in academic research, although the techno-economic prospects technology for large-scale production chemicals are unclear. In this work, we briefly reviewed current state-of-the-art CO2 figures merit, and performed an economic analysis to calculate end-of-life net present value (NPV) a generalized electrolyzer system 100 tons/day various products. Under conditions, monoxide formic acid were only economically viable products with NPVs $13.5 million $39.4 million, respectively. However, higher-order alcohols, such as ethanol n-propanol, could be highly promising under future conditions if reasonable electrocatalytic performance benchmarks achieved (e.g., 300 mA/cm2 0.5 V overpotential at 70% Faradaic efficiency). Herein, established targets that these achieved, fuels can become profitable option part growing renewable energy infrastructure.