A Simple Framework for Quantifying Electrochemical CO2 Fixation

Substantial abatements of CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustions are critical to shifting the current trend of fast global warming. In this Perspective, chemical fixation of CO2 (CFC) is evaluated as a progressive abating strategy by a proposed "golden triangle" principle. We derive several simple equations to describe partially the relationships between energy and CO2 arising from fossil fuel combustions in the power sector upon energy/mass-balance analyses of related electrochemical reductions of CO2 (ERCs) as a route to CFC. Mitigation coefficients are obtained as figures of merit to quantify the intrinsic abatement capabilities of various reduction products, identifying privileged ERCs that may allow fossil fuel power, the current and expected dominant source of electricity at least before 2040, to drive the ERCs for emission abatements. The challenges for large-scale deployments of the ERCs as a substantial emission-abating strategy are discussed upon sensitivity analysis of mitigation efficiency for selected privileged ERCs.