A novel framework for the economic and sustainability assessment of carbon capture and utilization technologies

This study presents a novel framework for assessing early-stage carbon capture and utilization (CCU) reactions. The introduced greenhouse gas abatement, sustainability, and economics framework (GASEF) assesses commercial viability by simultaneously analyzing a CCU technology's CO 2 fixation potential with its economic potential. The developed framework combines a previously published CO2Fix parameter and the metric for inspecting reactants and sales (MISR) to estimate CO 2 fixation and economic potentials. Both metrics can be estimated using limited information such as temperature, pressure, conversion, molecular weights, the heat of reaction, and the prices of the reactants and products of the CCU reaction. Results from this novel framework are demonstrated via case studies of notable CCU technologies, such as Dry Reforming of Methane and CO 2 hydrogenation to methanol processes. Furthermore, the possible implications of providing CO 2 subsidies for CCU processes for the gross CO 2 input into these processes versus providing CO 2 subsidies for the net CO 2 fixation of the process is evaluated. In particular, the GASEF assessment on the DRM process showcased a potential for commercial viability even when the technology implementation requires additional investment of 0.1 $/kgCO 2 (pertaining to low-concentration CO 2 streams) due to carbon capture and sequestration efforts to achieve net-zero emissions. In the case of CO 2 hydrogenation to methanol process, the GASEF assessment showcased the potential for commercial viability only at low CO 2 credit (0.05 $/kgCO 2 ); however, at values higher than this, the process becomes tenuous. These case studies provide a comprehensive demonstration of the use of the GASEF as a versatile tool to support rapid economics and sustainability evaluation of the new CCU technologies. • Introduced GASEF for economic and sustainability assessment of CCU processes. • GASEF combines CO2Fix and MISR tools to assess CCU technologies. • Compared CO 2 feedstock-based and CO 2 fixation-based subsidy models. • Categorized all CCU processes based on economic and CO 2 fixation potential. • GASEF model demonstrated for DRM, methanol, CARGEN, & RWGS processes.