Comparison of carbon sequestration efficacy between artificial photosynthetic carbon dioxide conversion and timberland r
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ORIGINAL RESEARCH Comparison of carbon sequestration efficacy between artificial photosynthetic carbon dioxide conversion and timberland reforestation
Santiago Gonzalez Hernandez and Stafford W. Sheehan Air Company, 407 Johnson Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11206, USA
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Address all correspondence to Stafford W. Sheehan at [email protected] (Received 15 June 2020; accepted 11 August 2020)
ABSTRACT A comparison between electrochemical carbon dioxide conversion and reforestation is presented. By comparing thermodynamic and forestry data, recommendations for technology development can be made. With the global average temperature steadily increasing due to anthropogenic emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, there has been increasing interest worldwide in new technologies for carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS). This coincides with the decrease in cost of deployment of intermittent renewable electricity sources, specifically solar energy, necessitating development of new methods for energy storage. Carbon dioxide conversion technologies driven by photovoltaics aim to address both these needs. To adequately contribute to greenhouse gas reduction, the carbon dioxide conversion technology deployed should have a substantially higher rate of carbon dioxide removal than planting an equivalent-sized forest. Using consistent methodologies, we analyze the effectiveness of model photovoltaic-driven carbon dioxide conversion technologies that produce liquid alcohols as compared to planting an equivalent forest. This analysis serves to establish an energy use boundary for carbon dioxide conversion technology, in order to be a viable alternative as a net carbon negative technology. Key words: carbon dioxide; electrochemical synthesis; ethanol; life cycle assessment; photovoltaic; sustainability
Introduction Technologies that actively increase the rate of terrestrial carbon fixation by utilizing or storing carbon equivalents have been identified as important within the portfolio of solutions that humanity must develop to decrease atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations.1 In the chemical industry alone, by
DISCUSSION POINTS • Carbon dioxide conversion is an important tool to reduce the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. • Reforestation sequesters 5–10 kgCO2/day per hectare of forest and is another important strategy in our portfolio to mitigate climate change. • A well-curated forest absorbs carbon dioxide at around 1% of the rate of an electrochemical technology powered using an equivalent area of solar panels.
capturing and reusing carbon dioxide there is the potential to reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by up to 3.5 gigatons carbon dioxide equivalent (GtCO2e) by 2030.2 Considering that global energy-related CO2 emissions in 2019 were around 33 Gt total,3 implementation of carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies throughout this one industry could have a substantial impact toward reducing global carbon emissions and limiting the increase in global average temperature to
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