Scalable Low-Temperature CO₂ Electrolysis: Current Status and Outlook

The electrochemical CO₂ reduction (eCO₂R) in membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) has brought e-chemical production one step closer to commercialization because of its advantages of minimized ohmic resistance and stackability. However, the current performance of reported eCO₂R in MEAs is still far below the threshold for economic feasibility where low overall cell voltage (<2 V) and extensive stability (>5 years) are required. Furthermore, while the production cost of e-chemicals heavily relies on the carbon capture and product separation processes, these areas have received much less attention compared to CO₂ electrolysis, itself. In this perspective, we examine the current status of eCO₂R technologies from both academic and industrial points of view. We highlight the gap between current capabilities and commercialization standards and offer future research directions for eCO₂R technologies with the hope of achieving industrially viable e-chemical production.