Turning greenhouse gases into valuable resources: CO₂ electrolysis for sustainable chemicals and aviation fuels

The chemical industry and the aviation sector are at the heart of global defossilization: By 2050, more than one billion tons of CO₂ per year will be needed worldwide as an alternative carbon source for the production of CO₂-based chemicals and sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). At the same time, regulatory pressure, climate neutrality requirements, and the need for economically viable and scalable technologies are all on the rise.

CO₂ electrolysis is considered a promising approach to addressing these challenges. After all, it enables the direct electrification of chemical processes using renewable electricity. Depending on the technology and components, carbon monoxide, ethylene, alcohols (e.g., ethanol, n-propanol), and organic acids can be specifically produced – key precursors for both SAF production pathways (e.g., Fischer-Tropsch, oligomerization) and chemical value chains.

Companies seeking to integrate CO₂ electrolysis into their processes or develop relevant technologies face a number of specific technical and economic challenges:
 

• Energy and cost efficiency of CO₂ conversion into key feedstocks under industrially relevant operating conditions
  
  
• Integration of CO₂ electrolysis into existing production chains, particularly in SAF routes and downstream chemical processes
  
  
• Selection and optimization of electrolyzer components (e.g., catalysts, electrodes, membranes) for targeted product selectivity
  
  
• Cell and stack designs that are scalable, stable, and compatible with industrial pressure, temperature, and load profiles
  
  
• Handling of variable CO₂ quality, e.g., from flue gases or direct air capture, and its impact on efficiency, degradation, and lifespan
  
  
• Lack of independent long-term validation of components, cells, and stacks under industrially relevant conditions
  
  
• Lack of reliable data on technical and economic feasibility as a basis for investment and scaling decisions
  
  
• High development and investment risks during the transition from laboratory to pilot or demonstration scale
  
  
• Limited testing and development infrastructure to independently evaluate proprietary technologies, materials, or process concepts
   

Industrial customers therefore need a partner who systematically brings together all relevant levels of CO₂ electrolysis – from the electrochemical reaction through the cell and stack levels to integration into industrial processes and preparation for commercial applications.

Fraunhofer UMSICHT addresses these challenges with a holistic development approach to CO₂ electrolysis. We support companies in the chemical industry and the aviation sector with application-oriented research and development services that specifically integrate the system, component, and process levels – from initial validation through to the transition to scaled-up industrial applications. Our approach is designed to ensure technical feasibility, efficiency, and scalability at an early stage and under real-world conditions:
 

• System-level validation
  Conducting validation and test series with CO₂ electrolysis systems at the laboratory and kilogram scale to quantitatively assess performance, scalability, and economic viability across different value chains – including variable CO₂ sources and the investigation of the influence of interfering components on efficiency and stability
  
  
• Component-level validation
  Testing and comparison of catalysts, electrodes, and membranes under industry-relevant operating conditions as a basis for informed material and design decisions
  
  
• Development and optimization of components and operating strategies
  Targeted further development of materials, components, and process parameters to systematically improve the selectivity, energy efficiency, and long-term stability of CO₂ electrolysers
  
  
• Customized testing and development infrastructure
  Design and construction of test cells and automated cell/stack test benches, enabling companies to access industry-relevant test infrastructure without upfront investment and supporting independent validation and further development of their own CO₂ electrolysis technologies
  
  
• Project and scaling support
  Scientific and technical support for feasibility studies, techno-economic assessments, and the design of scaled concepts as a basis for well-founded investment and go/no-go decisions

Building on these requirements, Fraunhofer UMSICHT develops its own innovative technologies to specifically address key challenges in industrial CO₂ electrolysis:

• High-pressure CO₂ electrolysis for the production of carbon monoxide at elevated process pressures for direct coupling to existing industrial downstream processes
  
  
• Integrated CO₂ capture and electrolysis concepts for the direct utilization of CO₂ from flue gases or direct air capture processes

This provides industrial customers with a solid basis for decision-making to specifically develop CO₂ electrolysis as a key technology for climate-neutral chemicals and sustainable aviation fuels and successfully integrate it into industrial processes.

With Fraunhofer UMSICHT, you gain an experienced partner who provides structured and practical support from the initial research question all the way to the preparation of industrial applications. The collaboration is flexible and tailored to your stage of development – from technology screening to scaling. Typical forms of collaboration in the field of CO₂ electrolysis include:

• Technology, feasibility, and economic viability studies
  Evaluation of CO₂ electrolysis technologies and alternative process routes as a basis for well-founded investment and technology decisions
  
  
• Development and contract manufacturing of components
  Manufacturing and further development of electrodes and membrane electrode assemblies, as well as optimization of process parameters for targeted product selectivity and increased efficiency
  
  
• Cell, stack, and process development
  Conception, design, and experimental validation of cell, stack, and process concepts for CO₂ electrolysis under industrially relevant conditions
  
  
• Validation, testing, and analytics
  Conducting contract measurements and sampling from laboratory and pilot plants for product qualification, including the suitability assessment of real CO₂ sources for use in CO₂ electrolyzers
  
  
• Provision of test hardware and knowledge transfer
  Access to test cells, cell and stack test benches, and training on testing and evaluation methods for in-house development activities
   

A typical project workflow:

1. Project initiation and goal setting
   Joint analysis of your problem statement and definition of clear technical and economic objectives
   
   
2. Planning phase
   Development of a customized project and test concept
   
   
3. Implementation phase
   Development and manufacturing of components, conducting test series and feasibility studies
   
   
4. Analysis and optimization
   Evaluation of results, assessment of efficiency, stability, and product selectivity
   
   
5. Conclusion and knowledge transfer
   Documentation, recommendations for action, and identification of next steps toward scaling or industrial application

Integration of High‐p, Low‐T CO₂ Electrolysis with Pressure Swing Adsorption Purification | Chemie Ingenieur Technik

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Closing the carbon cycle: challenges and opportunities of CO₂ electrolyser designs in light of cross-industrial CO₂ source-sink matching in the European landscape | Energy & Environmental Science

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Accelerating CO₂ electrochemical conversion towards industrial implementation | Nature Communications

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Differential pressure CO₂ electrolysis opens the way for direct coupling to industrial processes | ScienceDirect

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P2X platform – Test platform for conversion technologies and their interaction for sector coupling | vgbe energy journal

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