A Gross‐Margin Model for Defining Technoeconomic Benchmarks in the Electroreduction of CO₂

TLDR

The authors develop a gross‑margin model to assess the technoeconomic feasibility of producing C1–C2 chemicals via CO₂ electroreduction and propose coproduction of less feasible chemicals with more feasible ones to reduce operating potential requirements. Using the gross‑margin model, they derive key performance benchmarks—maximum cell potential, minimum current density, Faradaic efficiency, and catalyst durability—and evaluate alternative process designs and operating conditions. The analysis shows that CO and formic acid have the lowest maximum operating potentials, making them the most economically viable products, while other performance metrics and alternative designs are also evaluated.

Abstract

Abstract We introduce a gross‐margin model to evaluate the technoeconomic feasibility of producing different C 1 –C 2 chemicals such as carbon monoxide, formic acid, methanol, methane, ethanol, and ethylene through the electroreduction of CO 2 . Key performance benchmarks including the maximum operating cell potential ( V max ), minimum operating current density ( j min ), Faradaic efficiency (FE), and catalyst durability ( t catdur ) are derived. The V max values obtained for the different chemicals indicate that CO and HCOOH are the most economically viable products. Selectivity requirements suggest that the coproduction of an economically less feasible chemical (CH 3 OH, CH 4 , C 2 H 5 OH, C 2 H 4 ) with a more feasible chemical (CO, HCOOH) can be a strategy to offset the V max requirements for individual products. Other performance requirements such as j min and t catdur are also derived, and the feasibility of alternative process designs and operating conditions are evaluated.