LAPSE:2023.35819
Published Article
LAPSE:2023.35819
The Role of Direct Air Capture in EU’s Decarbonisation and Associated Carbon Intensity for Synthetic Fuels Production
Rocio Gonzalez Sanchez, Anatoli Chatzipanagi, Georgia Kakoulaki, Marco Buffi, Sandor Szabo
May 24, 2023
Direct air capture (DAC) is considered one of the mitigation strategies in most of the future scenarios trying to limit global temperature to 1.5 °C. Given the high expectations placed on DAC for future decarbonisation, this study presents an extensive review of DAC technologies, exploring a number of techno-economic aspects, including an updated collection of the current and planned DAC projects around the world. A dedicated analysis focused on the production of synthetic methane, methanol, and diesel from DAC and electrolytic hydrogen in the European Union (EU) is also performed, where the carbon footprint is analysed for different scenarios and energy sources. The results show that the maximum grid carbon intensity to obtain negative emissions with DAC is estimated at 468 gCO2e/kWh, which is compliant with most of the EU countries’ current grid mix. Using only photovoltaics (PV) and wind, negative emissions of at least −0.81 tCO2e/tCO2 captured can be achieved. The maximum grid intensities allowing a reduction of the synthetic fuels carbon footprint compared with their fossil-fuels counterparts range between 96 and 151 gCO2e/kWh. However, to comply with the Renewable Energy Directive II (REDII) sustainability criteria to produce renewable fuels of non-biological origin, the maximum stays between 30.2 to 38.8 gCO2e/kWh. Only when using PV and wind is the EU average able to comply with the REDII threshold for all scenarios and fuels, with fuel emissions ranging from 19.3 to 25.8 gCO2e/MJ. These results highlight the importance of using renewable energies for the production of synthetic fuels compliant with the EU regulations that can help reduce emissions from difficult-to-decarbonise sectors.
Keywords
carbon footprint, decarbonisation, direct air capture, Hydrogen, Renewable and Sustainable Energy, Synthetic Fuels
Suggested Citation
Gonzalez Sanchez R, Chatzipanagi A, Kakoulaki G, Buffi M, Szabo S. The Role of Direct Air Capture in EU’s Decarbonisation and Associated Carbon Intensity for Synthetic Fuels Production. (2023). LAPSE:2023.35819
Author Affiliations
Gonzalez Sanchez R: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Via E. Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra, Italy
Chatzipanagi A: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Via E. Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra, Italy [ORCID]
Kakoulaki G: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Via E. Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra, Italy
Buffi M: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Via E. Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra, Italy [ORCID]
Szabo S: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Via E. Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra, Italy
Journal Name
Energies
Volume
16
Issue
9
First Page
3881
Year
2023
Publication Date
2023-05-03
ISSN
1996-1073
Version Comments
Original Submission
Other Meta
PII: en16093881, Publication Type: Review
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LAPSE:2023.35819
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https://doi.org/10.3390/en16093881
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May 24, 2023
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May 24, 2023
 
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Calvin Tsay
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