Energy Balancing of Electrochemical Alternatives to the Solvay Process

Abstract Nowadays, soda (Na 2 CO 3 ) is predominantly produced via the conventional Solvay process, generating CO 2 emissions contributing to climate change and saline CaCl 2 waste streams that pose local environmental concerns. Electrochemical alternatives, such as chlor‐alkali electrolysis (CAE), have been explored for decades but still remain unused for large‐scale production of soda. Bipolar electrodialysis promises lower energy consumption than CAE while generating the valuable by‐product hydrochloric acid (HCl). This work provides mass and energy balances for electrochemical alternatives to the Solvay process. The results indicate a lower total energy requirement for the electrochemically based processes, whereas energy‐related costs remain comparable to the Solvay process.