Carbon capture and utilization via electrochemistry, what’s next?

Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) technologies have emerged as a focal point of attention due to their capacity to remove flue gas/atmospheric CO₂ and convert the captured CO₂ into valuable chemicals. And electrochemical CCU stands out as a particularly promising method that enables the integration of clean power derived from renewable energy sources (such as solar and wind) to recycle CO₂, thereby achieving negative carbon emissions. However, the deployment of electrochemical CCU techniques necessitates addressing critical concerns such as energy and cost efficiencies, as well as the technical feasibility of large-scale applications. There is a pressing need to develop highly effective electrochemical CCU strategies. Here, we aim to organize and present various advanced electrochemical CCU strategies, highlight the associated technical challenges, and identify potential research trends in this field.