Towards an accelerated decarbonization of the chemical industry by electrolysis

Abstract

The transition towards carbon-neutral chemical production is challenging due to the fundamental reliance of the chemical sector on petrochemical feedstocks. Electrolysis-based manufacturing, powered with renewables, is a rapidly evolving technology that might be capable of drastically reducing CO₂ emissions from the chemical sector. However, will it be possible to scale up electrolysis systems to the extent necessary to entirely decarbonize all chemical plants? Applying a forward-looking scenario, this perspective estimates how much electrical energy will be needed to power full-scale electrolysis-based chemical manufacturing by 2050. A significant gap is identified between the currently planned renewable energy grid expansion and the energy input necessary to electrify the chemical production: at minimum, the energy required for production of hydrogen and electrolysis of CO₂ corresponds to 24–54% of all renewable power that is planned to be available. To cover this gap, strategies enabling a drastic reduction of the energy input to electrolysis are being discussed from the perspectives of both a single electrolysis system and an integrated electro-plant. Several scale-up oriented research priorities are formulated to underpin the timely development and commercial availability of described technologies, as well as to explore synergies and support further growth of the renewable energy sector, essential to realize described paradigm shift in chemical manufacturing.