This study presents a roadmap for commercialization potential of carbon dioxide utilization (CO2U) technologies through 2030. A significant reduction of carbon emissions is crucial to avoiding enormous economic and environmental damages. Renewable power generation and other low- and zero-carbon technologies are an important part of the solution. Carbon negative technologies (those that reduce atmospheric CO2 concentrations) are also needed to achieve the agreed global goal of keeping temperature increases well below a 2 degrees C increase over pre-industrial levels. CO2U technologies can play an important role, but have not yet received much attention nor have their potential been explored in a comprehensive fashion.
A detailed market assessment study that was completed by GCI found that CO2U has the potential to reduce carbon emissions over 10% by 2030. This study analyzes the current state of CO2U technology, assessing almost 180 global technology developers on the basis of their technology feasibility, readiness, markets and momentum. Research revealed that significant progress in CO2U has been made in the past five years (2011-16), with many technologies shown to be scalable. Momentum is favorable for four major markets – building materials, chemical intermediates, fuels and polymers.
Within those markets, the study further identifies eight product categories to pursue, based on the maturity of their technology, market promise, and potential impact on the mitigation of carbon emissions. Funding and incentives are necessary for most of these products to accelerate development and achieve full-scale commercial roll out capability. This study presents a commercialization roadmap for each of the eight categories.
Read more in “Global Roadmap for Implementing CO2 Utilization.“