Green naphtha production via direct CO2 hydrogenation with renewable hydrogen: economic-environmental perspective

Global petrochemical leaders are increasingly prioritizing green naphtha as a strategic pathway toward carbon neutrality. In particular, naphtha production via direct CO₂ hydrogenation has received significant attention due to its potential to substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This study proposed sustainable naphtha production processes via direct CO₂ hydrogenation and assessed their economic and environmental performance. To investigate the trade-offs between these aspects, five scenarios (Cases A-E) were developed based on different byproduct utilization strategies. By conducting both techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment, we performed a comprehensive evaluation of the proposed pathways. The minimum selling price of naphtha fell within $126.2/bbl-$179.1/bbl (in 2050 USD terms), demonstrating strong market competitiveness over fossil-based oil ($114-$229/bbl). Notably, increasing the conversion of C1-C4 gaseous byproducts into synthetic natural gas significantly improved the economic feasibility. In parallel, the life cycle assessment showed that a higher CO₂ conversion rate into high-value products led to greater reductions in environmental impact. Among all scenarios, Case D achieved the lowest environmental burden, at -0.81 kg CO₂ eq./kg naphtha.