title: The Chemical Route to a Carbon Dioxide Neutral World.
abstract: Excessive CO2emissions in the atmosphere from anthropogenic activity can be divided into point sources and diffuse sources. The capture of CO2from flue gases of large industrial installations and its conversion into fuels and chemicals with fast catalytic processes seems technically possible. Some emerging technologies are already being demonstrated on an industrial scale. Others are still being tested on a laboratory or pilot scale. These emerging chemical technologies can be implemented in a time window ranging from 5 to 20 years. The massive amounts of energy needed for capturing processes and the conversion of CO2should come from low-carbon energy sources, such as tidal, geothermal, and nuclear energy, but also, mainly, from the sun. Synthetic methane gas that can be formed from CO2and hydrogen gas is an attractive renewable energy carrier with an existing distribution system. Methanol offers advantages as a liquid fuel and is also a building block for the chemical industry. CO2emissions from diffuse sources is a difficult problem to solve, particularly for CO2emissions from road, water, and air transport, but steady progress in the development of technology for capturing CO2from air is being made. It is impossible to ban carbon from the entire energy supply of mankind with the current technological knowledge, but a transition to a mixed carbon-hydrogen economy can reduce net CO2emissions and ultimately lead to a CO2-neutral world.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Surface Chemistry and Catalysis, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F-box 2461, 3001, Heverlee, Belgium.|Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts, Natural Science Class (KNW), Hertogsstraat 1, 1000, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Johan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Martens
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium.|Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts, Natural Science Class (KNW), Hertogsstraat 1, 1000, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Annemie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bogaerts
authors.affiliation: Department of Sustainable Organic Chemistry and Technology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.|Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts, Natural Science Class (KNW), Hertogsstraat 1, 1000, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: De Kimpe
authors.affiliation: Centre for Surface Chemistry and Catalysis, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F-box 2461, 3001, Heverlee, Belgium.|Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts, Natural Science Class (KNW), Hertogsstraat 1, 1000, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Pierre A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Chemical Technology, Ghent University, Technologiepark 914, 9052, Ghent, Belgium.|Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts, Technical Science Class (KTW), Hertogsstraat 1, 1000, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Guy B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Marin
authors.affiliation: LabMET, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.|Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts, Young Academy, Hertogsstraat 1, 1000, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Korneel
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rabaey
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Chemical Technology, Ghent University, Technologiepark 914, 9052, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saeys
authors.affiliation: Department of Flow, Heat and Combustion Mechanics, Ghent University, Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 41, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Verhelst
mesh_terms: D001272:Atmosphere / Q000737:chemistry; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D004467:Economics; D005579:Fossil Fuels; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000737:chemistry; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D005579:Fossil Fuels; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D006859:Hydrogen
keywords: atmospheric chemistry; carbon dioxide fixation; hydrogen; sustainable chemistry; synthetic fuels