Advances in carbon dioxide utilization technologies for integrated power generation systems

Abstract The escalating urgency to mitigate climate change has intensified global interest in technologies that transform carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) from an environmental liability into a valuable resource. This review provides a critical and comprehensive assessment of recent advancements in CO 2 conversion technologies, with particular emphasis on their integration into modern power generation systems. Key industrial pathways – including catalytic methanation, electrochemical CO 2 reduction, and synthetic fuel synthesis – are systematically evaluated in terms of conversion efficiency, technological maturity, scalability, and techno-economic feasibility. Current studies indicate that catalytic methanation can achieve CO 2 conversion efficiencies approaching 85 %, while advanced electrochemical reduction systems reach efficiencies of nearly 70 %, depending on catalyst architecture and energy input. These processes demonstrate energy conversion yields of approximately 1.8–2.5 MJ per kilogram of CO 2 , highlighting their potential for grid-scale energy storage and the decarbonization of power infrastructure. Furthermore, techno-economic analyses suggest that coupling CO 2 conversion with existing fossil-fuel-based power plants could reduce net carbon emissions by 20–30 % while enabling the production of value-added fuels and chemicals. Emerging innovations – including artificial intelligence-assisted catalyst discovery, process optimization, and smart energy management – are also examined for their role in accelerating technological maturity and industrial deployment. Collectively, this review underscores that strategic integration of CO 2 utilization technologies, supported by continued innovation and forward-looking policy frameworks, could play a transformative role in advancing circular carbon economies and achieving long-term global energy sustainability.