Carbon Dioxide Utilisation

This chapter addresses CO 2 utilisation as a strategic approach towards reducing emissions while simultaneously producing valuable products. Section A Bonus Strategy: Ratio Option Spreads provides an overview of direct applications of CO 2 , including its use in beverages, cooling systems (as a refrigerant), greenhouses, and enhanced oil recovery. Indirect uses for converting CO 2 into fuels and chemicals are explained based on chemical, biological, and solar-assisted processes. Chemical conversion technologies include methanation, reverse water–gas shift, and carbonate formation, with a focus on reaction mechanisms, catalysts, and process efficiency. Biological utilisation leverages photosynthetic pathways in plants, algae, and microorganisms, with biochar generation providing longer term carbon storage. Furthermore, emerging processes, including photoelectrochemical, electrochemical, and photochemical methods, are assessed for their potential to convert CO 2 into valuable products, with current challenges identified in terms of high energy requirements, limited selectivity, and catalyst stability. A comparative analysis of the most important processes addresses the trade-offs between conversion efficiency, economic feasibility, scalability, and long-term carbon removal potential. Overall, the chapter emphasises CO 2 utilisation as a complementary strategy to carbon capture and storage technologies, which offer pathways for integrating carbon management with the transition towards a sustainable, low-carbon economy.