Evaluation of centralized/decentralized configuration schemes of CO2 electrochemical reduction-based supply chains

Abstract

Electrochemical reduction of CO2 (CO2ER) is an emerging technology with the potential to limit the use of fossil-based feedstocks in the petrochemical industry by converting CO2 and renewable electricity into useful products such as syngas. Its successful deployment will depend not only on the technology's performance but also on its integration into the supply chain. In this work, a facility location model is used to gain insights regarding the capacity of CO2ER plants that produce syngas and the implications for the central/decentral placement of these CO2-based syngas plants. Different optimal configurations are examined in the model by changing the syngas transport costs. In this exploratory case, the results indicate that centralization is only an option when the syngas and CO2 transport costs are similar. When syngas transport is more expensive, decentralizing CO2-based syngas plants in the supply chain appears more feasible.