Leonzio & Shahb (2025): Sustainability analysis of electrochemical direct air capture technologies
Grazia Leonzio and Nilay Shahb, IN: Sustainable Energy & Fuels, https://doi.org/10.1039/D5SU00227C
In recent years, attention has focused on fully electrified direct air capture systems as potential candidates for large-scale direct air capture applications capable of exploiting renewable energy sources. However, economic and environmental analyses are missing in the literature. In this work, a scale-up analysis of different electrified direct air capture technologies (based on electrolysis, bipolar membrane electrodialysis, electro-swing adsorption, and proton-coupled electron transfer systems) is conducted through a hybrid learning curve methodology in order to evaluate total costs and environmental impact (according to scopes 1 and 2). The analysis is conducted for different geographic locations, times of year, and types of renewable energy source. Results show that electro-swing adsorption and proton-coupled electron transfer processes are both characterized by lower costs and environmental burdens, while electrolysis and electrodialysis systems have higher costs and environmental impacts. A technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution analysis is carried out to determine the most sustainable process considering technical, economic, social, and environmental aspects.