Consensus Study Report
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This activity was supported by Contract DE-EP0000026/89303021FFE400026 with the U.S. Department of Energy. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of any organization or agency that provided support for the project.
International Standard Book Number-13: 978-0-309-69327-1
International Standard Book Number-10: 0-309-69327-6
Digital Object Identifier: https://doi.org/10.17226/26703
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Suggested citation: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2023. Carbon Dioxide Utilization Markets and Infrastructure: Status and Opportunities: A First Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/26703.
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COMMITTEE ON CARBON UTILIZATION INFRASTRUCTURE, MARKETS, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
EMILY A. CARTER (NAS/NAE), Princeton University and Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Chair
SHOTA ATSUMI, University of California, Davis
MAKINI BYRON, Linde
ALAYNA CHUNEY,1 Carbon180
STEPHEN COMELLO, Stanford Graduate School of Business and EFI Foundation
MAOHONG FAN, University of Wyoming and Georgia Institute of Technology
MATTHEW FRY, Great Plains Institute
HAROUN MAHGEREFTEH, University College London
EMANUELE MASSETTI, Georgia Institute of Technology
AH-HYUNG (ALISSA) PARK, Columbia University
JOSEPH B. POWELL (NAE), Shell (retired)
ANDREA RAMÍREZ RAMÍREZ, Delft University of Technology
VOLKER SICK, University of Michigan
Staff
ELIZABETH ZEITLER, Associate Director, Board on Energy and Environmental Systems (BEES), Study Co-Director
CATHERINE WISE, Program Officer, BEES, Study Co-Director
LIANA VACCARI, Program Officer, Board on Chemical Sciences and Technology
REBECCA DeBOeR, Research Associate, BeeS
JASMINe BRYANT, Research Assistant, BeeS
KAIA RUSSeLL, Program Assistant, BeeS
___________________
NOTE: See Appendix B, Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest.
1 Resigned May 2022.
BOARD ON ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS
JARED COHON (NAE), Carnegie Mellon University, Chair
VICKY BAILEY, Anderson Stratton Enterprises, LLC; BHMM Energy Services, LLC
CARLA BAILO, Center for Automotive Research
DEEPAKRAJ DIVAN (NAE), Georgia Institute of Technology
MARCIUS EXTAVOUR, XPRIZE Foundation
T.J. GLAUTHIER, TJG Energy Associates, LLC
PAULA GLOVER, Alliance to Save Energy
AMOS GOLDHABER, Claremont Creek Ventures
DENISE GRAY (NAE), LG Chem Michigan Inc. Tech Center
JENNIFER HOLMGREN, LanzaTech
JOHN KASSAKIAN (NAE), Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MICHAEL LAMACH, Trane Technologies (retired)
JOSÉ SANTIESTEBAN (NAE), ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company (retired)
ALEXANDER SLOCUM, SR. (NAE), Massachusetts Institute of Technology
SUSAN TIERNEY, Analysis Group
GORDON VAN WELIE (NAE), ISO New England, Inc.
DAVID VICTOR, University of California, San Diego, Deep Decarbonization Initiative
Staff
K. JOHN HOLMES, Director/Scholar
ELIZABETH ZEITLER, Associate Director
BRENT HEARD, Program Officer
KASIA KORNECKI, Program Officer
CATHERINE WISE, Program Officer
REBECCA DeBOER, Research Associate
KYRA HOWE, Research Assistant
JASMINE BRYANT, Research Assistant
KAIA RUSSELL, Program Assistant
HEATHER LOZOWSKI, Financial Manager
BOARD ON CHEMICAL SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY
SCOTT COLLICK, DuPont, Co-Chair
JENNIFER SINCLAIR CURTIS, University of California, Davis, Co-Chair
GERARD BAILLELY, Procter & Gamble Company
RUBEN CARBONELL (NAE), North Carolina State University
JOHN FORTNER, Yale University
KAREN GOLDBERG (NAS), Vagelos Institute for Energy Science and Technology, University of Pennsylvania
JENNIFER HEEMSTRA, Emory University
JODIE LUTKENHAUS, Texas A&M University
SHELLEY MINTEER, University of Utah
AMY PRIETO, Colorado State University and Prieto Battery, Inc.
MEGAN ROBERTSON, University of Houston
SALY ROMERO-TORRES, Thermo Fisher Scientific Pharma Services
REBECCA RUCK, Merck Research Laboratories
ANUP K. SINGH, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
VIJAY SWARUP, ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
Staff
CHARLES FERGUSON, Director
LIANA VACCARI, Program Officer
LINDA NHON, Program Officer
JESSICA WOLFMAN, Research Associate
BRENNA ALBIN, Senior Program Assistant
AYANNA LYNCH, Research Assistant
KAYANNA WYMBS, Program Assistant
NICHOLAS ROGERS, Senior Finance Business Partner
THANH NGUYEN, Finance Business Partner
Preface
As we move further into the third decade of the twenty-first century, the world continues to witness evermore concerning indicators of global climate change, from year-round wildfires of unprecedented size to megadroughts to massive flooding, exacerbated by the burning of fossil carbon that has powered our civilization for centuries. The challenge is clear and urgent: How do we maintain or improve quality of life for the planet’s inhabitants while ameliorating the harm already done and preventing future harm to the environment? One essential part of the strategy has to be to stop, on a global net basis, emitting gases to the atmosphere that warm Earth, especially but not exclusively carbon dioxide, because of its relatively high concentration and long life in the atmosphere.
A global transition to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, necessary for maintaining a safe, stable climate, will require overcoming technological and societal challenges. A key component in achieving net-zero emissions is carbon management, which involves mitigating the vast majority of carbon dioxide emissions and ensuring that remaining flows of carbon dioxide to and from the atmosphere are balanced. Carbon dioxide utilization, the focus of this report, can play a productive role in achieving net-zero emissions by providing pathways for carbon storage or carbon removal in useful products in some cases and by enabling a circular carbon economy in others. Long-lived products, such as concrete and aggregates, can store carbon originating from fossil-derived emissions or, if produced from atmospheric or other sustainable sources of carbon dioxide, can durably remove carbon dioxide from the environment. A circular carbon economy will allow continued production and use of carbon-based products, such as aviation fuels, building materials, plastics, and commodity chemicals, without releasing net carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere. This first report from the Committee on Carbon Utilization Infrastructure, Markets, Research and Development identifies priority options for carbon dioxide–derived products that could participate in a future net-zero-emission economy, discusses the associated infrastructure requirements and deployment opportunities, and explores policy, regulatory, and societal considerations.
To address this wide breadth of topics, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened a committee with diverse expertise and experience, ranging from technology research and development to industrial gas and chemicals processing, to pipeline development and operations, to policy, societal, environmental, and economic analysis. The committee has worked tirelessly over the past 7 months, holding public webinars to gather information from experts and engaging in rigorous yet respectful discussions, to produce a report that reflects these various perspectives and provides valuable insights into opportunities for carbon
dioxide utilization. I would like to thank all of the committee members for their commitment to this project and the National Academies staff for their outstanding support, and I look forward to working with them through the remainder of the study.
Emily A. Carter, Chair
Committee on Carbon Utilization Infrastructure, Markets,
Research and Development
Reviewers
This Consensus Study Report was reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in making each published report as sound as possible and to ensure that it meets the institutional standards for quality, objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process.
We thank the following individuals for their review of this report:
Although the reviewers listed above provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the conclusions or recommendations of this report, nor did they see the final draft before its release. The review of this report was overseen by Andrew Brown, Jr. (NAE), Diamond Consulting and Delphi Automotive, and Christopher W. Jones (NAE), Georgia Institute of Technology. They were responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this report was carried out in accordance with the standards of the National Academies and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content rests entirely with the authoring committee and the National Academies.
Contents
1.2 Overview of CO2 Utilization Products, Infrastructure, and Societal Considerations
2 EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR CO2 UTILIZATION
2.2 Existing Processes and Facilities Utilizing CO2
2.3 Existing CO2 Transport and Storage Infrastructure
2.4 Status of Enabling Infrastructure for CO2 Utilization
2.5 Findings on Existing Infrastructure for CO2 Utilization
3 POTENTIAL USES OF CO2 IN COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS
3.1 Framing, Introduction, and Scope of Chapter
3.2 Future Sources of CO2 for Utilization
3.3 Potential Utilization Products and Processes
3.4 Emerging, Pilot, and Commercial Facilities Utilizing CO2
3.5 Priority Needs for CO2-Derived Products That Could Contribute to a Net-Zero Carbon Future
3.6 Near-Term Opportunities, Synergies, and Needs
3.7 Findings and Recommendations on Potential Uses of CO2 in Commercial Products
4 INFRASTRUCTURE CONSIDERATIONS FOR CO2 UTILIZATION
4.4 CO2 Conversion and Product Transportation
4.6 Findings and Recommendations on Infrastructure Considerations for CO2 Utilization
5 POLICY, REGULATORY, AND SOCIETAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR CO2 UTILIZATION SYSTEMS
5.1 Policy and Regulatory Considerations
5.2 Current Regulatory Framework for Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage
5.3 Societal Acceptance and Environmental Justice
6 PRIORITY INFRASTRUCTURE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CO2 UTILIZATION
6.1 Infrastructure Funding and Investments
6.2 Near-Term Versus Long-Term Infrastructure Strategies
6.3 Findings and Recommendations on Priority Infrastructure Opportunities for CO2 Utilization
A Committee Member Biographies
B Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest
