The importance of both catalyst and process design in unlocking sustainable carbon feedstocks through syngas

As part of its move towards net zero, the chemical industry, over time, will transition away from fossil-based chemical feedstocks towards more sustainable, 'green' carbon-biomass, recycled waste and captured carbon dioxide. One gateway to transforming these feedstocks into the vital chemicals and fuels society relies on is via synthesis gas or 'syngas'-a gaseous mixture of chemical building blocks (H₂, CO and CO₂). While today the majority of syngas is produced via steam reforming of natural gas, commercially available technologies are enabling syngas production and transformation from sustainable feedstocks. The optimization of sustainable syngas technologies would not be possible without the integrated development of both catalyst and process technology and the associated skills in chemistry and chemical engineering. This paper covers three example technologies that are unlocking the role of syngas as a gateway to sustainable fuels and chemicals and highlights the innovative developments in catalyst and process design that have enabled their optimization and commercialization. This article is part of the discussion meeting issue 'Green carbon for the chemical industry of the future'.