CO2Plus

Material flow analysis of CO2 use as raw material and development of a road map

Target

The project determines the capacities to produce CO2-based chemicals by means of renewable energies, explores environmentally beneficial processing routes, analyses economic and regulatory factors critical for commercial competitiveness, and develops a road map to increasingly supply the German chemical industry by recycling and use of CO2 until 2050.

The project is part of the coordinating and accompanying research of the BMBF http://www.chemieundco2.de/en/index.php CO2NetPlus Research Programme https://www.ptj.de/co2plus which is conducted in cooperation with DECHEMA  http://dechema.de/dechema_eV/en/ and IASS http://www.iass-potsdam.de/en.

Work packages

(1) Determining the capacities of CO2 sources and renewable energies

Potential sources for CO2 use in Germany are recorded on the basis of existing registers according to quantity and quality and classified with regard to sustainability. Availability of renewable energies (with a focus on electricity) is prospected on the basis of existing scenarios for 2030 and 2050.

(2) Analysis for assessing environmentally beneficial processing routes

Routes for production of C1 platform chemicals (e.g. methanol and methane) and selected polymers using CO2 and renewable energies are analysed on the basis of available LCA data with respect to raw material input (RMI) and global warming potential (GWP). Key processes and drivers will be elaborated. Cross-sectoral analysis will be included.

(3) Analysis of economic and regulatory factors

Relevant factors determining price or costs, resp., of environmentally advantageous process routes will be studied by life-cycle-costing to elucidate the preconditions of bringing those routes closer to markets. The influence of regulations (e.g. EEG – the German renewable energy act) will be quantified.

(4) Development of a road map

For 2050, a goal concept will be outlined to increasingly supply the German chemical industry via recycling and use of CO2 as raw material. A gradual and stepwise roadmap for reaching the target corridor will be developed involving stakeholders and experts.

Funding agency

BMBF

Project duration

June 2016 − December 2019

Project management

Stefan Bringezu

Project staff

Wieland Hoppe
Simon Kaiser
Sebastian Turnau