A holistic platform for accelerating sorbent-based carbon capture

Abstract

Reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions urgently requires the large-scale deployment of carbon-capture technologies. These technologies must separate CO2 from various sources and deliver it to diferent sinks1,2 . The quest for optimal solutions for specifc source–sink pairs is a complex, multi-objective challenge involving multiple stakeholders and depends on social, economic and regional contexts. Currently, research follows a sequential approach: chemists focus on materials design3 and engineers on optimizing processes4,5 , which are then operated at a scale that impacts the economy and the environment. Assessing these impacts, such as the greenhouse gas emissions over the plant’s lifetime, is typically one of the fnal steps6 . Here we introduce the PrISMa (Process-Informed design of tailor-made Sorbent Materials) platform, which integrates materials, process design, techno-economics and life-cycle assessment. We compare more than 60 case studies capturing CO2 from various sources in 5 global regions using diferent technologies. The platform simultaneously informs various stakeholders about the cost-efectiveness of technologies, process confgurations and locations, reveals the molecular characteristics of the top performing sorbents, and provides insights on environmental impacts, co-benefts and trade-ofs. By uniting stakeholders at an early research stage, PrISMa accelerates carbon-capture technology development during this critical period as we aim for a net-zero world.