Perspectives of Clean Energy and Carbon Dioxide Capture, Storage and Utilization

The International Energy Agency states that the global demand for energy will increase tremendously. Carbon dioxide (CO₂) utilization is aligned with the industrial ecology strategies, taking into consideration material and energy constraints, enabling the industrial utilization of the carbon dioxide to provide various final products. Carbon dioxide utilization technologies can either give products that sequester the CO₂ for a lengthy period; or only for a matter of weeks or days but also perhaps between seasons, as in the case of fuels and methanol. Enhanced Oil Recovery and enhanced coalbed methane are other examples of direct utilization of CO₂ where it is used to extract crude oil from an oil field or natural gas from unmineable coal deposits, respectively. Underground coal gasification provides access to coal deposits that would otherwise remain unused, and is also an attractive route to carbon capture and utilization.