Role of Carbon Capture, Storage, and Utilization to Enable a Net-Zero-CO₂-Emissions Aviation Sector

Abstract

A techno-economic analysis of viable scenarios for the aviation industry to achieve net-zero CO 2 emissions is presented. These scenarios are based (i) on carbon capture and storage (CCS), where conventional fossil jet fuel is produced, and the corresponding emissions are offset by capturing CO 2 , either via direct air capture (DAC-CCS route) or via point-source capture (PSC-CCS route), and permanently storing it underground, and (ii) on carbon capture and utilization (CCU), where synthetic jet fuel is produced by using CO 2 as feedstock, which is either captured from air (DAC-CCU route) or from a point-source emitter (PSC-CCU route). All routes are feasible and have their advantages and shortcomings. To ensure net-zero CO 2 emissions, the feedstock of the point-source emitter, both for CCS-and CCU-based routes, must be of biogenic nature. A quantitative assessment of these scenarios and of a business-as-usual (BAU) scenario, where aviation emissions are subjected to a carbon tax, is performed based on jet fuel cost and carbon price projections until 2050. Cost reductions due to wide deployment and economy of scale of current low-maturity technologies are accounted for. Parametric and Monte Carlo sensitivity analyses are performed to assess the effects of uncertainty associated with the most relevant techno-economic quantities on the observed trends. Findings show that CCS-based scenarios consistently lead to lower jet fuel costs than CCU-based scenarios across the considered time scenarios and sensitivity analyses. This is mainly due to the fact that CCU-based routes result in an energy consumption more than 20 times higher than CCS-based routes, which also implies higher CO 2 emissions when considering the carbon intensity of current electricity grids. Overall, the PSC-CCS route represents the most cost-effective solution for decarbonizing the aviation industry, and it is costcompetitive with BAU already today.

Thought Experiment on Using Renewable Electricity to Provide Transportation Services

“…In fact, we found this result somewhat surprising given the energy density of fossil fuels and the efficiencies of modern refineries. Our results mirror those of previous work, ,, which found that e-fuels required significantly higher energy intensity than biofuels due to their hydrogen consumption to remove the oxygen from CO 2 . They also concluded that carbon capture and storage rather than utilization provided a route to decarbonize aviation fuels at lower cost and energy, despite differences in their assumptions on DAC and fuel production relative to ours.…”

“…This thought experiment follows in the footsteps of other systems analyses that have examined questions associated with enabling a net zero chemical industry, , aviation fuels, and more broadly hydrocarbon fuels . These studies abstract the key elements of processes for chemicals and fuels to provide higher level insights into the trade-offs between using biomass as a feedstock, carbon capture, and CO 2 storage versus utilization. , Moreover, technoeconomic, carbon footprint, and land use metrics have also been examined .…”

“…This paper addresses one specific trade-off between CO 2 emissions and transportation services as measured by miles driven by a personal vehicle. Although just one component of the overall energy transition, transportation services represent the largest source of CO 2 emissions from any one sector; moreover, these emissions are highly distributed suggesting that point source capture is nonviable; moreover, certain subsections are very difficult to decarbonize (e.g., aviation, although emerging approaches exist). The envisioned rapid electrification of light duty vehicles will dramatically lower these CO 2 emissions, both because the source of electricity can become renewable, and because the conversion of electrical energy to distance driven has much greater efficiency than the internal combustion engine .…”

CO2 Capture at Medium to High Temperature Using Solid Oxide-Based Sorbents: Fundamental Aspects, Mechanistic Insights, and Recent Advances

“…Humankind faces an urgent challenge to rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to reach a carbon neutral society by 2050, the point at which environmental changes caused by climate change may become irreversible. , Among the many technologies being developed toward this goal, it has been argued that carbon dioxide capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) is a necessary component, being both a mature and relatively inexpensive measure that can support other initiatives in electrochemical storage, renewable energy conversion, and improving industrial efficiency. − Not only is CCUS an environmental necessity, but it also represents a significant economic opportunity. , Recent governmental and industrial white papers highlight its vital role in “power to X” (P2X) schemes that seek to harness electricity to synthesize various energy-dense fuel sources by utilizing H 2 from electrolysis combined with CO 2 from capture. − P2X represents just one of several proposed industrial processes aiming to use CO 2 as a feedstock, − underlining the need for efficient CCUS implementation.…”

Modeling of a Continuous Carbonation Reactor for CaCO3 Precipitation

“…Therefore, CO 2 capture, and utilization (CCU) might be more of a distraction rather than a viable option to mitigate climate change (Mac Dowell et al, 2017). This holds especially true for energy intensive CCU processes, e.g., the production of synthetic fuels, which require large amounts of carbon-free electricity (Abanades et al, 2017;Sutter et al, 2019;Becattini et al, 2021).…”