CO2 utilization: an enabling element to move to a resource- and energy-efficient chemical and fuel production

Claudio Ampelli; Siglinda Perathoner; Gabriele Centi

doi:10.1098/rsta.2014.0177

CO2 utilization: an enabling element to move to a resource- and energy-efficient chemical and fuel production

Philos Trans A Math Phys Eng Sci. 2015 Mar 13;373(2037):20140177. doi: 10.1098/rsta.2014.0177.

Authors

Claudio Ampelli¹, Siglinda Perathoner¹, Gabriele Centi²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Electronic Engineering, Industrial Chemistry and Engineering, Section Industrial Chemistry, University of Messina, INSTM/CASPE (Laboratory of Catalysis for Sustainable Production and Energy) and ERIC (European Research Institute of Catalysis), V.le F. Stagno D'Alcontres 31, Messina 98166, Italy.
² Department of Electronic Engineering, Industrial Chemistry and Engineering, Section Industrial Chemistry, University of Messina, INSTM/CASPE (Laboratory of Catalysis for Sustainable Production and Energy) and ERIC (European Research Institute of Catalysis), V.le F. Stagno D'Alcontres 31, Messina 98166, Italy centi@unime.it.

PMID: 25666059
DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2014.0177

Abstract

CO(2) conversion will be at the core of the future of low-carbon chemical and energy industry. This review gives a glimpse into the possibilities in this field by discussing (i) CO(2) circular economy and its impact on the chemical and energy value chain, (ii) the role of CO(2) in a future scenario of chemical industry, (iii) new routes for CO(2) utilization, including emerging biotechnology routes, (iv) the technology roadmap for CO(2) chemical utilization, (v) the introduction of renewable energy in the chemical production chain through CO(2) utilization, and (vi) CO(2) as a suitable C-source to move to a low-carbon chemical industry, discussing in particular syngas and light olefin production from CO(2). There are thus many stimulating possibilities offered by using CO(2) and this review shows this new perspective on CO(2) at the industrial, societal and scientific levels.

Keywords: CO2 utilization; chemical industry future; resource and energy efficiency; sustainable chemical production.