Electrification - Power -to-X-CCU
Power-to-X-CCU as a building block for a sustainable carbon chain
The chemical and fuel industries face a structural challenge. Full electrification is not feasible everywhere, while carbon remains an essential raw material for materials and energy carriers. The whitepaper Harnessing Power-to-X for a sustainable carbon future, written by TNO and VoltaChem, describes how Power-to-X-CCU technologies offer a realistic prospect of replacing fossil carbon with circular carbon, particularly within the Antwerp-Rotterdam-Rhine-Ruhr Area (ARRRA).
Why Power-to-X-CCU is necessary
Defossilisation is indispensable for sectors that remain structurally dependent on carbon, such as chemicals and heavy mobility. Power-to-X-CCU combines renewable electricity with captured CO₂ to produce fuels and chemical building blocks. This creates a complementary pathway alongside biofuels and recycling, which are not expected to provide sufficient volume to meet future demand.
Three technological routes
The white paper identifies three conversion routes for CO₂:
1. Thermochemical
The most mature route, with commercial applications including methanol. This route is highly dependent on the availability and price of green hydrogen.
2. Electrochemical
Direct conversion of CO₂ with electricity, with potential for modular scale-up. The technology is still in the development phase.
3. Plasma
A flexible technology without dependence on critical raw materials, but with efficiency and selectivity challenges.
All routes currently have higher costs than fossil alternatives. Electricity prices and investment costs are decisive. The white paper shows that economies of scale, learning effects and design improvements can substantially reduce costs over time.
Climate effect dependent on system choices
The climate impact of Power-to-X-CCU is strongly related to the availability of renewable energy and the degree of circularity at end-of-life. If fossil energy is used, climate gains are limited. However, in a future scenario with renewable electricity and recycling, the CO₂ footprint could decrease significantly and even become negative in some cases.
Strategic position of the ARRRA cluster
The ARRRA cluster has strong integrated industrial networks, a sizeable market and a solid technology position. At the same time, there are structural bottlenecks, such as high electricity costs, limited space and high labour costs. External factors, such as European policies and calls for strategic autonomy, create opportunities, while industry departures and a reluctant investment climate pose real risks.
Two strategic directions
Based on a SWOT analysis, the white paper identifies two related strategies:
- Building strategic production capacity
Not primarily driven by cost competitiveness, but by security of supply, innovation and European autonomy. Focus is on targeted product-market combinations, such as sustainable aviation fuels and platform chemicals. - Growing into global technology provider
- Through technology development, validation and export, the ARRRA cluster can create value in regions with low-cost renewable energy, while keeping knowledge and high-value activities anchored in Europe.
From ambition to implementation
The white paper stresses that success depends on coherent policies, coordinated investments and strategic alignment along the chain. Acceleration of renewable electricity, infrastructure for CO₂ and hydrogen, and clear carbon accounting are preconditions. Only by connecting these elements can Power-to-X-CCU become a robust pillar of a circular and competitive carbon economy.
Power-to-X-CCU is thus not a final solution in itself, but a necessary link in a broader transition in which innovation, infrastructure and market development must scale up simultaneously.
Interested?
Take the step towards a sustainable heat supply today
Want to know more about hydrogen integration in your business environment? Want to start a feasibility study, or develop a pilot with partners? Then take contact FLIE. We help you go from idea to implementation.
Together, we are accelerating the electrification of industrial processes in South Holland and building a future-proof industry.
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The Fieldlab Industrial Electrification
The Fieldlab Industrial Electrification consists of two main components:
- On the one hand, a 'Fieldlab Hub' where work will be done to test and scale up new technologies in the value chain present. Cooperation will be sought with industry and research and educational institutions in the region. There is also a special focus on cooperation with potential value chain partners and space for realising business cases.
- The second part of the Fieldlab consists of on-site demonstration sites at companies where these new techniques can be tested and applied in practice.
Getting started with electrification? Then click here.
