Carbon capture opportunities and challenges for CO₂ utilization in next generation e-fuels

This review provides a comprehensive examination of carbon capture (CC) technologies, utilization and their integration with e-fuel production as pivotal factors in determining the greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation potential in achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. We specifically address the current challenges by evaluating the CC efficiency, life-cycle emission, and integration feasibility of sustainable technologies for power-to-liquid (PtL) electrofuels (e-fuels). As CO₂ emissions continue to rise and accelerate global climate change, the adoption of sustainable pathways has become an urgent necessity. Emissions generated from varying sources can be captured with post-combustion capture, direct air capture (DAC) are critical pathways for the environmental sustainability of synthetic hydrocarbon fuel production. We provide a statistical analysis of various carbon capture implementations, examining key performance metrics: energy demand, capture rate, and economic viability. The review also examines the environmental implications of integrated process energy systems by applying life-cycle assessment (LCA) frameworks. These frameworks enable the systematic evaluation of carbon intensity, net-zero emission potential, system-level energy penalties, and sustainability and trade-offs inherent in diverse capture-to-conversion configurations, with explicit attention to carbon capture and storage (CCS) and carbon dioxide removal (CDR) pathways. Identified carbon capture (CC) technologies are critically assessed across industries, such as power plants, cement production, iron and steel manufacturing, refineries, chemical plants, glass manufacturing, and wastewater treatment facilities. This paper explore the challenges and opportunities of climate performance for CC, utilization technology and emphasizes its critical role in advancing the production of e-fuels its influence on life-cycle GHG emission reduction. • CC tech and e-fuels pathways shape net-zero GHG mitigation by 2050. • CC post-combustion, DAC, and CO₂ recovery. • LCA reveals energy penalties, costs, and carbon-intensity trade-offs. • CC from power, cement, & steel plants is key for PtL e-fuel production. • CCS-CDR integration and policy frameworks enable durable e-fuel benefits.