Technoeconomic analysis
What would it take for renewably powered electrosynthesis to displace petrochemical processes?
- Among carbon-based commodity chemicals, ethylene (C2H4) has the largest global market size at $230 B and the highest impact on emission reduction, potentially reducing 862 Mt CO2 per year. (Ethanol: $75 B, 546 Mt)
- Catalysts should last for thousands of hours of continuous operation.
- Renewable electricity cost should fall below 4 cents/kWh.
- Energy conversion efficiency should reach to at least 60 %.
A Gross-Margin Model for Defining Technoeconomic Benchmarks in the Electroreduction of CO2
- CO2 reduction catalysts need to be improved so that they last for thousands of hours.
- Minimum operating current density for CO production: ~ 140 mA/cm2 for Ag, ~ 210 mA/cm2 for Au.
General Techno-Economic Analysis of CO2 Electrolysis Systems
Issues with GDE
Review paper: Durable Cathodes and Electrolyzers for the Efficient Aqueous Electrochemical Reduction of CO2