Christian Breyer, a member of our Scientific Advisory Committee, is among the co-authors of the paper titled “Global Demand Analysis for Carbon Dioxide as Raw Material from Key Industrial Sources and Direct Air Capture to Produce Renewable Electricity-based Fuels and Chemicals”.
The transition to sustainable energy resources in the power and transport sectors is a critical goal in the coming decades to mitigate climate change. While progress has been made through the decreasing costs of solar photovoltaics, wind power, and battery technologies, the defossilisation of hard-to-abate segments in transport and industry requires renewable electricity-based fuels and chemicals.
This study presents an analysis of the global demand for CO₂ as raw material for the production of synthetic fuels and chemicals during a global energy transition to 100% renewable energy. The research evaluates the Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) potential from key industrial point sources such as cement mills, pulp and paper mills, and waste incinerators.
The study’s estimates:
🟢 The demand for CO₂ will increase from 0.6 to 6.1 gigatonnes in 2050.
🟢 Key industrial point sources can potentially supply 2.1 gigatonnes of CO₂, meeting the majority of the demand in the 2030s.
🟢 By 2050, Direct Air Capture is expected to contribute 3.8 gigatonnes of CO₂ annually, supplying the majority of the demand.
Please find the paper here.