Carbon Capture and Utilization in the Industrial Sector

The fabrication and manufacturing processes of industrial commodities such as iron, glass, and cement are carbon-intensive, accounting for 23% of global CO₂ emissions. As a climate mitigation strategy, CO₂ capture from flue gases of industrial processes-much like that of the power sector-has not experienced wide adoption given its high associated costs. However, some industrial processes with relatively high CO₂ flue concentration may be viable candidates to cost-competitively supply CO₂ for utilization purposes (e.g., polymer manufacturing, etc.). This work develops a methodology that determines the levelized cost ($/tCO₂) of separating, compressing, and transporting carbon dioxide. A top-down model determines the cost of separating and compressing CO₂ across 18 industrial processes. Further, the study calculates the cost of transporting CO₂ via pipeline and tanker truck to appropriately paired sinks using a bottom-up cost model and geo-referencing approach. The results show that truck transportation is generally the low-cost alternative given the relatively small volumes (ca. 100 kt CO₂/a). We apply our methodology to a regional case study in Pennsylvania, which shows steel and cement manufacturing paired to suitable sinks as having the lowest levelized cost of capture, compression, and transportation.