Carbon Dioxide Utilization 2024-2044: Technologies, Market Forecasts, and Players

Carbon capture is increasingly recognised as a key technology for decarbonizing the world's economy and reaching net-zero goals globally. Carbon dioxide utilization (CO₂U) technologies are a sub-set of carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) technologies with the potential to make CO₂ capture economically viable even in the absence of carbon pricing and tax incentives.

 

 

 

 

Carbon dioxide utilization technologies refer to the practical use of waste CO₂, captured abiotically using direct air capture or point source capture of industrial emitter (including industrial biogenic carbon dioxide sources), to create financial benefits and produce net CO₂ emissions reduction or removal. Alongside promoting a more circular economy, CO₂U can also sometimes result in products with enhanced properties. Carbon dioxide utilization products provide climate benefits by displacing fossil-fuel based incumbents, and some are net-zero or even net-negative.

 

IDTechEx considers CO₂ use cases in enhanced oil recovery, building materials, liquid and gaseous fuels, polymers, chemicals, and in biological yield-boosting (crop greenhouses, algae, and fermentation), exploring the technology innovations and opportunities within each area.

 

 

 

Despite its potential to create a market for waste CO₂, not all CO₂U technologies are created equal. These systems face a range of economic, technical, and regulatory challenges which need to be carefully considered so that the technologies that actually provide climate benefits - and are economically viable - can be prioritized and pursued. For instance, for many CO₂U routes, the CO₂ sequestration is only temporary with the CO₂ utilized being released to the atmosphere once the product is consumed (e.g., CO₂-derived fuels or proteins), whilst for others, the CO₂ can be stored permanently (e.g., CO₂-derived building materials). On the economic side, many CO₂U pathways can be considerably more expensive than their fossil-based counterparts due to high energy requirements, low yields, or need of other expensive feedstock (e.g., green hydrogen, catalysts). The report provides insights into the most promising processes being developed in CO₂U, highlighting the pros and cons of each pathway and end-product.

 

Innovative companies across the world are developing technologies to improve the energy efficiency of CO₂ conversion processes and reduce their costs. The report gives an overview of these players' latest developments, with first-hand accounts of the challenges and opportunities within the industry.

 

Building materials and fuels represent the areas with high growth potential. Both markets intrinsically have large CO₂ utilization potentials, but each have its own specific drivers. CO₂U in building materials is the more straightforward CO₂U technology, able to lower the carbon footprint of ready-mixed concrete, pre-cast concrete, and carbonate aggregates/supplementary cementitious materials through mineralization reactions. Carbon dioxide can be permanently stored, and cement use can be reduced. Growth will be driven by new certifications, superior materials performance, and the ability to achieve price parity through waste disposal fees.

 

CO₂-derived fuels market penetration is expected to come largely from regulations already being put in place, such as fuel-blend mandates for long-haul transportation. As green hydrogen electrolyzer capacity scales up worldwide, production of e-fuels from carbon dioxide using power-to-x technology (including e-methanol, synthetic natural gas, e-diesel, e-kerosene, and e-gasoline production) will also increase. Several CO₂-derived fuels are already being commercially produced (with many more commercial facilities expected over the next decade) and could play a role in decarbonizing shipping and aviation (as full electrification of the aviation and maritime sectors is currently unfeasible and is likely to remain so for the foreseeable future).

 

Some CO₂-derived chemicals (particularly CO₂-derived polycarbonates) are already produced commercially, but only require relatively small amounts of CO₂ compared to other applications. While potentially all carbon containing chemicals could utilize carbon dioxide in production, those requiring non-reductive pathways are the most promising due to a smaller energy demand. Carbon dioxide utilization in crop greenhouse enrichment is another mature application set to grow once CO₂ pipeline transport infrastructure expands. Several companies look to circumvent this transportation problem by using DAC (direct air capture) on site. CO₂-EOR will remain the biggest application area over the next two decades due to its profitability, established infrastructure, and a continued demand for oil.

 

 

This report provides the following information

 

Technology trends & players analysis

 

Market Forecasts & Analysis:

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