Revolution in CO2 electrolysis: Efficient solutions for industry!

Revolution in CO2 electrolysis: Efficient solutions for industry!

The urgency of reducing CO2 emissions has significantly advanced research into CO2 electrolysis in recent years. On June 12, 2025, a comprehensive roadmap was presented that describes strategic approaches to linking CO2 sources and sinks. The study, carried out by renowned institutions such as the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT, the Forschungszentrum Jülich, the RWTH Aachen and the Ruhr University Bochum, analyzes over 5,000 publications on CO2 electrical reduction and offers valuable insights into the future development of this technology. Loud news.rub.de The aim of this roadmap is to develop application scenarios for CO2 electrolysis technologies.

The considerations cover various areas of focus, including low-temperature and high-temperature electrolysis for products such as carbon monoxide, formic acid as well as ethylene and ethanol. In particular, the identification of relevant point sources and CO2 recovery products for different coupling scenarios is emphasized. A central aspect is the assumption that CO2 sources go through three phases: First, CO2 is obtained directly from industrial point sources, followed by a hybrid of point sources and direct air capture (DAC), until DAC is finally established as the primary CO2 supply source alongside large emitters.

Technological advances and challenges

High-temperature electrolysis (SOE) plays a crucial role in converting CO2 into synthetic hydrocarbons, which is highlighted as a promising approach to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Loud ikts.fraunhofer.de The literature shows that electrolysis operation with steam and co-electrolysis at temperatures below 800 °C are confronted with high degradation rates. Fraunhofer IKTS has therefore developed innovative CFY stacks that are equipped with up to 40 high-performance ESCs to improve long-term stability.

The development of zero-gap electrolysers is also seen as promising. These systems offer the possibility of efficiently electrochemically reducing CO2 from exhaust gases or the atmosphere. A study by the Ruhr University Bochum and RWTH Aachen has shown that significant progress can be achieved by optimizing the stability and efficiency of the substances produced, such as carbon monoxide. The zero-gap construction minimizes ohmic resistance, resulting in higher partial current densities.

Scalability and optimization

Another important aspect is the scalability of existing electrolytic systems. Researchers identify scalable processes and their implications for optimization to maximize carbon reduction efficiency. It should be noted that a simple change in the orientation of the electrolytic cell can have a dramatic impact on performance. The stability of the electrolysers was significantly improved through targeted adjustments up to 10 hours at 3 V and 300 mA cm-2. The Faraday efficiency for the production of carbon monoxide could be increased from 14% to over 60% in a two-hour electrolysis, which underlines the effectiveness of the technologies used, as well as on circular-technology.com is reported.

Overall, the latest developments make it clear that CO2 electrolysis not only represents a key pillar in combating climate change, but can also enable numerous industrial applications. The need for further research and the development of new collaborations are seen as key to the success of these technologies.