Electrified hydrocarbon-to-oxygenates coupled to hydrogen evolution for efficient greenhouse gas mitigation
Nature Communications, vol. 14, pp. 1954
Abstract
Abstract Chemicals manufacture is among the top greenhouse gas contributors. More than half of the associated emissions are attributable to the sum of ammonia plus oxygenates such as methanol, ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid. Here we explore the impact of electrolyzer systems that couple electrically-powered anodic hydrocarbon-to-oxygenate conversion with cathodic H2 evolution reaction from water. We find that, once anodic hydrocarbon-to-oxygenate conversion is developed with high selectivities, greenhouse gas emissions associated with fossil-based NH3 and oxygenates manufacture can be reduced by up to 88%. We report that low-carbon electricity is not mandatory to enable a net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions: global chemical industry emissions can be reduced by up to 39% even with electricity having the carbon footprint per MWh available in the United States or China today. We conclude with considerations and recommendations for researchers who wish to embark on this research direction.
Authors 7
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Wan Ru Leow corresponding
Agency for Science, Technology and Research · University of Toronto
Affiliation as printed
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto, 10 King's College Road, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G4, Canada. wanru_leow@isce2.a-star.edu.sg
Institute of Sustainability for Chemicals, Energy and Environment (ISCE2), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 1 Pesek Road, Jurong Island, Singapore 627833, Singapore. wanru_leow@isce2.a-star.edu.sg
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto, 10 King's College Road, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G4, Canada
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Affiliation as printed
Institute of Technical Thermodynamics, RWTH Aachen University, Schinkelstr. 8, 52062, Aachen, Germany
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Affiliation as printed
Carbon Minds GmbH, Eupener Straße 165, 50933, Cologne, Germany
Institute of Technical Thermodynamics, RWTH Aachen University, Schinkelstr. 8, 52062, Aachen, Germany
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto, 10 King's College Road, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G4, Canada
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Affiliation as printed
TOTAL American Services Inc., Hopkinton, MA, 01748, USA
TOTAL American Services Inc., Hopkinton, MA, 01748, USA
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Forschungszentrum Jülich · ETH Zurich · Institute of Energy and Process Engineering · RWTH Aachen University
Affiliation as printed
Energy & Process Systems Engineering, Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, ETH Zürich, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland. abardow@ethz.ch
Institute of Energy and Climate Research - Energy Systems Engineering (IEK-10), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425, Jülich, Germany. abardow@ethz.ch
Institute of Technical Thermodynamics, RWTH Aachen University, Schinkelstr. 8, 52062, Aachen, Germany. abardow@ethz.ch
Institute of Technical Thermodynamics, RWTH Aachen University, Schinkelstr. 8, 52062, Aachen, Germany
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Edward Hartley Sargent corresponding
Affiliation as printed
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto, 10 King's College Road, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G4, Canada. ted.sargent@utoronto.ca
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto, 10 King's College Road, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G4, Canada
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