Bio-integrated carbon capture and utilization: at the interface between capture chemistry and archaeal CO₂ reduction

Carbon capture and utilization (CCU) covers an array of technologies for valorizing carbon dioxide (CO₂). To date, most mature CCU technology conducted with capture agents operates against the CO₂ gradient to desorb CO₂ from capture agents, exhibiting high energy penalties and thermal degradation due to the requirement for thermal swings. This Perspective presents a concept of Bio-Integrated Carbon Capture and Utilization (BICCU), which utilizes methanogens for integrated release and conversion of CO₂ captured with capture agents. BICCU hereby substitutes the energy-intensive desorption with microbial conversion of captured CO₂ by the methanogenic CO₂-reduction pathway, utilizing green hydrogen to generate non-fossil methane.