SELECTCO2 · Project

Turning CO2 Waste Into Valuable Chemicals Using Electricity

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Imagine taking the CO2 that factories pump into the air and, using electricity, turning it into useful chemicals like ethanol or ethylene — the building blocks for plastics, fuels, and industrial products. That's exactly what SELECTCO2 worked on: building better electrochemical devices that convert CO2 into specific high-value chemicals with impressive accuracy. Think of it like a recycling machine, but instead of sorting bottles, it sorts molecules — pulling carbon out of waste gas and reshaping it into something worth selling. The team developed new catalysts, membranes, and gas diffusion layers to make this conversion faster, more selective, and closer to commercial reality.

By the numbers

90%

CO2-to-carbon monoxide selectivity target

80%

CO2-to-ethanol selectivity target

90%

CO2-to-ethylene selectivity target

> 40%

Energy efficiency target

> 200 mA/cm²

Current density target

EUR 3,772,265

EU funding received

Total project deliverables

Consortium partners across 8 countries

The business problem

What needed solving

Chemical manufacturers and energy companies face mounting pressure from carbon pricing, environmental regulations, and customer demand to reduce CO2 emissions. At the same time, billions of tons of CO2 are released annually with no profitable use. Current methods for producing base chemicals like ethylene and ethanol rely heavily on fossil fuels, creating both a cost risk and a sustainability problem as carbon prices rise.

The solution

What was built

The project developed new catalysts (single-site for CO, dual-catalyst for ethanol), custom gas diffusion layers, and anion exchange membranes — all integrated into improved electrolysis devices for CO2 conversion. Physical gas diffusion layers were manufactured and delivered to three partner labs for benchmarking. Comprehensive device modeling from quantum to full-device scale was also produced, along with a life cycle analysis and social acceptance study.

Audience

Who needs this

Chemical companies producing ethylene or ethanol from fossil feedstocksCarbon capture operators seeking profitable CO2 utilization pathwaysRenewable energy companies looking for Power-to-X chemical storage solutionsSteel and cement manufacturers with large CO2 streams needing carbon creditsElectrolyzer and fuel cell manufacturers seeking next-generation membrane and catalyst technology

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Chemicals & Petrochemicals

enterprise

Target: Chemical manufacturers producing ethylene or ethanol from fossil feedstocks

If you are a chemical producer dealing with rising carbon costs and pressure to decarbonize your ethylene or ethanol supply chain — this project developed electrolysis devices targeting 90% selectivity for ethylene and 80% for ethanol from CO2 feedstock. That means a potential pathway to produce the same chemicals you sell today, but from captured CO2 instead of oil or gas, at energy efficiencies above 40%.

Carbon Capture & Utilization

mid-size

Target: Companies operating CO2 capture facilities looking for profitable use of captured carbon

If you are running a carbon capture operation and struggling to find profitable outlets for your captured CO2 — this project built electrolyzer technology that converts CO2 into carbon monoxide at 90% selectivity and current densities above 200 mA/cm². Instead of paying to store CO2 underground, you could convert it into feedstock chemicals and create a new revenue stream.

Renewable Energy & Power-to-X

any

Target: Renewable energy companies or grid operators with surplus electricity seeking chemical storage options

If you are a renewable energy operator dealing with curtailment or low spot prices during peak production — this project developed electrolysis devices that use electricity to convert CO2 into storable chemicals like ethanol. With 9 partners across 8 countries and 3 industrial partners validating the approach, the technology offers a route to store surplus green electricity as liquid chemical products rather than losing it.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to implement this CO2-to-chemicals technology?

The project received EUR 3,772,265 in EU funding for research and development across 9 partners over 3 years. Specific per-unit costs for a commercial electrolyzer are not provided in the project data. A life cycle analysis was conducted focusing on electrical power and CO2 inputs, which would inform cost modeling, but detailed pricing is not publicly available.

Can this scale to industrial production volumes?

The project specifically targeted development of 'commercially scalable type devices' and aimed for current densities above 200 mA/cm², which is a key metric for industrial viability. However, the project operated at research and prototype scale. Scaling from lab electrolyzer cells to industrial-sized systems would require further engineering and investment.

What about intellectual property and licensing?

The project was funded as a Research and Innovation Action (RIA) coordinated by Danmarks Tekniske Universitet with 6 universities and 3 industrial partners. IP generated during the project is typically owned by the partners who created it, governed by the consortium agreement. Interested companies should contact the coordinator to discuss licensing terms.

Which specific chemicals can this technology produce?

The project targeted three specific products: carbon monoxide (at 90% selectivity), ethanol (at 80% selectivity), and ethylene (at 90% selectivity). These are all high-value industrial chemicals with large existing markets — ethylene alone is the world's most-produced organic chemical.

How does this compare to existing CO2 utilization methods?

The project's key advantage is electrochemical conversion, which uses electricity rather than heat or biological processes. The targets of above 40% energy efficiency and above 200 mA/cm² current density represent competitive performance benchmarks. Based on available project data, the life cycle analysis component was designed to compare this approach against alternatives.

What regulatory environment supports this technology?

CO2 utilization technologies directly align with the EU Green Deal and carbon pricing mechanisms like the EU ETS. As carbon prices rise, converting CO2 into chemicals becomes increasingly competitive against fossil-based production. The project also investigated social acceptance issues to ensure alignment with public expectations.

How long before this could be deployed commercially?

The project ran from 2020 to 2023 and achieved prototype-level results. Based on available project data, the technology demonstrated key components like new catalysts, gas diffusion layers, and membranes in lab-scale devices. Commercial deployment would likely require several more years of scale-up engineering and pilot testing.

Consortium

Who built it

The SELECTCO2 consortium brings together 9 partners from 8 countries (CH, DE, DK, FR, IT, NL, UK, US), giving it strong international reach. The mix of 6 universities and 3 industrial partners (33% industry ratio, including 1 SME) shows a research-heavy project with some commercial grounding. It is coordinated by Danmarks Tekniske Universitet (DTU), a leading European technical university. The presence of 3 industrial partners suggests the research was developed with at least some awareness of commercial requirements, though the university-heavy composition signals this is still primarily an academic endeavor. For a business looking to adopt this technology, DTU would be the first point of contact, and the industrial partners may already have commercialization plans in progress.

DANMARKS TEKNISKE UNIVERSITETCoordinator · DK
INDUSTRIE DE NORA SPA-IDNparticipant · IT
RINA CONSULTING SPAparticipant · IT
ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FEDERALE DE LAUSANNEparticipant · CH
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAT BERLINparticipant · DE
PRETEXOparticipant · FR
UNIVERSITY OF SURREYparticipant · UK
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT DELFTparticipant · NL
BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITYinternationalpartner · US

How to reach the team

Danmarks Tekniske Universitet (DTU), Denmark — reach out to the project coordinator through the university's technology transfer office or the project website

Order a report on this consortium See DANMARKS TEKNISKE UNIVERSITET profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the SELECTCO2 team? SciTransfer can connect you with the right researchers and help you evaluate whether this CO2 conversion technology fits your decarbonization strategy. Contact us for a personalized briefing.

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