Techno-Economic Assessment of Electromicrobial Production of n-Butanol from Air-Captured CO₂

Abstract

Electromicrobial production (EMP), where electrochemically generated substrates (e.g., H 2 ) are used as energy sources for microbial processes, has garnered significant interest as a method of producing fuels and other value-added chemicals from CO 2 . Combining these processes with direct air capture (DAC) has the potential to enable a truly circular carbon economy. Here, we analyze the economics of a hypothetical system that combines adsorbent-based DAC with EMP to produce n-butanol, a potential replacement for fossil fuels. First-principles-based modeling is used to predict the performance of the DAC and bioprocess components. A process model is then developed to map material and energy flows, and a techno-economic assessment is performed to determine the minimum fuel selling price. Beyond assessing a specific set of conditions, this analytical framework provides a tool to reveal potential pathways toward the economic viability of this process. We show that an EMP system utilizing an engineered knallgas bacterium can achieve butanol production costs of <$6/gal ($1.58/L) if a set of optimistic assumptions can be realized.

Solid Electrolytes for Low-Temperature Carbon Dioxide Valorization: A Review

“…Carbon capture and utilization (CCU) is suggested to combat the worldwide challenge of climate change, by capturing and converting CO 2 into sustainable chemicals and fuels. , Due to the abundance of cheap electricity (typically < $0.05 kW h –1 ) and the high efficiency (reached to 47.6%) of photovoltaic-based solar-electricity conversion, electrochemical pathways are now one of the most alluring of these physical and chemical approaches used in CCU . Particularly, as opposed to traditional thermochemical capture systems, electrochemical technologies for carbon capture do not require steam heating.…”