Topic Power-to-X: Efficient Electrochemical Production of Syngas

Power-to-X concepts promise a reduction of greenhouse-gas emis-sions, simultaneously guaranteeing a safe energy supply even at high share of renewable power generation, and thus becoming a corner-stone of a sustainable energy system. Power-to-syngas, that is, the electrochemical conversion of steam and carbon dioxide with the use of renewably generated electricity to syngas for the production of synfuels and high-value chemicals, offers an efficient technology to couple different energy-intense sectors, such as “traffic and transpor-tation” and “chemical industry”. Syngas produced by co-electrolysis can thus be regarded as a key-enabling step for a transition of the energy system, which offers additionally features of CO2-valorization and closed carbon cycles. Here, we discuss advantages and current limitations of low- and high-temperature co-electrolysis. Advances in both fundamental understanding of the basic reaction schemes and stable high-performance materials are essential to further promote co-electrolysis.

S.R. Foit, I.C. Vinke, L.G.J. de Haart, R.-A. Eichel, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 56 (2017) 5402-5411.