Efforts to achieve net-zero carbon emissions are focusing on converting different sectors of the economy to run on electricity generated from renewable sources. However, some parts of society, such as plastics, cannot be decarbonized as they are made of carbon-based molecules. A new roadmap developed by chemist Wendy Shaw of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory proposes reducing emissions in hard-to-electrify segments of the economy through various strategies including developing non-carbon fuels, finding non-fossil sources of carbon, and implementing a circular economy approach to keep carbon in use multiple times.
The roadmap emphasizes the need to transition from single-use carbon to a circular economy where each carbon atom is reused numerous times. This approach involves reusing carbon within the same industrial sector or as a feedstock for a new industrial sector. Developing polymer upcycling processes and efficiently reusing carbon-based materials will be crucial in achieving a net-zero carbon emissions future. Collaboration among researchers and the use of innovative solutions are key to accelerating the development and deployment of these technologies across various industries.
Ideas presented in the roadmap emerged from a workshop titled “Closing the Carbon Cycle,” jointly hosted by several national laboratories. The workshop brought together experts to discuss advancing carbon recycling and conversion technologies to support a clean energy future. Argonne National Laboratory’s Director Paul Kearns commended the researchers collaborating across the Department of Energy national lab complex to drive transformative innovations aiming to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Hydrogen and ammonia are highlighted as potential carbon-free fuels, but challenges such as transportation and storage costs must be addressed.
Carbon from diverse sources, such as biomass, food waste, and plastic waste, is essential for circular carbon cycling. Efforts to develop effective separations and conversions for these non-fossil carbon streams are crucial for successful implementation. The vision is to view carbon as a valuable commodity that must be conserved and reused multiple times in a circular economy. Transforming waste materials into reusable resources through reactive separations that combine chemical reactions with purifying separations can lead to more efficient conversion of non-fossil carbon.
The roadmap envisions a future without waste where carbon is treated as a precious commodity rather than a disposable resource. Sustainable sources of carbon will play a significant role in achieving this vision of a circular carbon economy. The integration of new fundamental science developments into industrial approaches will create economic opportunities, educational development, and job growth. The roadmap, presented in Nature Reviews Chemistry, highlights the importance of collaboration, innovation, and sustainable practices in achieving a net-zero carbon emissions future.
