An Economy Based on Carbon Dioxide and Water: Potential of Large Scale Carbon Dioxide Utilization

This book is devoted to CO₂ capture and utilization (CCU) from a green, biotechnological and economic perspective, and presents the potential of, and the bottlenecks and breakthroughs in converting a stable molecule such as CO₂ into specialty chemicals and materials or energy-rich compounds.

The use of renewable energy (solar, wind, geothermal, hydro) and non-fossil hydrogen is a must for converting large volumes of CO₂ into energy products, and as such, the authors explore and compare the availability of hydrogen from water using these sources with that using oil or methane. Divided into 13 chapters, the book offers an analysis of the conditions under which CO₂ utilization is possible, and discusses CO₂ capture from concentrated sources and the atmosphere. It also analyzes the technological (non-chemical) uses of CO₂, carbonation of basic minerals and industrial sludge, and the microbial-catalytic-electrochemical-photoelectrochemical-plasma conversion of CO₂ into chemicals and energy products. Further, the book provides examples of advanced bioelectrochemical syntheses and RuBisCO engineering, as well as a techno-energetic and economic analysis of CCU.

Written by leading international experts, this book offers a unique perspective on the potential of the various technologies discussed, and a vision for a sustainable future. Intended for graduates with a good understanding of chemistry, catalysis, biotechnology, electrochemistry and photochemistry, it particularly appeals to researchers (in academia and industry) and university teachers.

Michele Aresta received his PhD in Industrial Chemistry from the University of Milan, Milan-IT. He is the President of the Scientific Board of the Interuniversity Consortium on Chemical Reactivity and Catalysis, Italy; former IMM, Professor-NUS-SG and David Parkin Professor at the University of Bath, UK and Honorary Professor at the Chemical Engineering Faculty, University of Tianjin, China. His scientific interests are in the fields of Chemistry of small molecules (N₂, H₂, O₂, CO, CO₂, olefins), metals in low-negative oxidation state, reaction mechanisms, catalysis, photocatalysis; utilization of biomass and new bio-sourced monomers for polymeric materials. He is the author of over 290 papers in peer reviewed international journals and of 12 books on CO₂ and Biomass valorization as well as owner of several patents.

I A Karimi is a Professor of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering at the National University of Singapore. Professor Karimi received his BTech in Chemical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology Bombay and MS & PhD from Purdue University. He is a leading expert in the area of process systems engineering and optimization with a unique blend of experience from academia and industry. His current research interests include process modeling, simulation, and optimization, energy efficiency, process integration and intensification, energy systems, chemical logistics, CCSU, process operations, and natural gas.