Mitigating climate change requires the development of technologies that combine energy and transport sectors. One of them is the production of sustainable fuels from electricity and carbon dioxide (CO₂) via power-to-liquid (PtL) plants. As one option for splitting CO₂, plasma-based processes promise a high potential due to their flexibility, scalability, and theoretically high efficiencies. This work includes a modeling and techno-economic analysis. A crucial element is the process of the joint project PlasmaFuel, in which two plasma technologies are included in a PtL plant to produce synthetically sulfur-free marine diesel. The results are divided into three scenarios, which differ in the use of different boundary conditions and thus represent different degrees of technology development. The evaluation results in process efficiencies from 16.5% for scenario 2018/20 to 27.5% for scenario 2050, and net production costs between EUR 8.5/L and EUR 3.5/L. Furthermore, the techno-economic potential is mapped in order to open up development steps in the direction of costs below EUR 2.0/L. The present work allows statements regarding system integration and the industrial use of the plasma-based process.; moreover, conclusions can be drawn towards the most important levers in terms of process optimization.

Analysis and calculation of Germany's climate politics and hydrogen strategy, with a focus on the technical demand for hydrogen implementation through a case study of the chemical industry that engages multiple stakeholders.

Direct air capture (DAC) technologies offer a promising approach to mitigate anthropogenic climate change by enabling net negative emissions. CO₂ absorption using NaOH represents an efficient solution within the proposed BlueFire carbon cycle, which integrates DAC with plasma technology for syngas production. Optimizing a DAC plant control relies on understanding the pH profile as a key parameter. A bubble column absorption model with pure CO₂ was experimentally adapted for a counter‐current flow setup with ambient air, reproducing a staged pH decrease. An optimal absorption endpoint was determined by identifying the maximum slope of the pH decline, indicating high reaction progress. X‐ray diffraction analysis of the absorption products validated the theoretical model of carbonate formation.

In this research article, a novel inverter design was developed to enable higher efficiency and higher power density in dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma reactor for gas conversion. DBD plasma reactors generate nonthermal plasmas that enable electrified chemical production, including syngas synthesis from CO₂, ammonia synthesis, and dry reforming of methane. Achieving high conversion efficiency requires optimization of the specific energy input (SEI) while maintaining overall energy efficiency. Plasma catalysis, however, is highly sensitive to discharge homogeneity, where minor variations in system parameters can significantly alter performance. One of the important aspects of overall performance is the plasma driver and the conventional AC power supplies for DBD applications are bulky, cascaded, cost-inefficient, and typically achieve less than 70% efficiency at rated power. Inaccuracies in SEI estimation further arise when inverter efficiency is neglected. The proposed inverter utilizes transformer secondary leakage parameters to improve performance. The inverter achieves efficiencies above 80%, doubles the power density for a rated output of $1{\,}\mathrm {kW}$ , and reduces inverter cost by approximately 30%. Experimental validation was performed on a coaxial-bed DBD reactor operated at $160{\,}\mathrm {kHz}$ , $14{\,}\mathrm {kV}$ , and $350{\,}\mathrm {W}$ , achieving an efficiency of 84%. These results demonstrate the potential of the proposed inverter to enhance DBD plasma processes, while further investigation into discharge characteristics at full rated power are still under investigation.

The persistent reliance of the cement sector on fossil fuels for CaO production and the high energy demand for DAC sorbent regeneration pose a significant barrier to reaching sustainable industrial production. Herein, a novel process concept is presented, establishing an integrated, fully electrified $${\rm CO}_2$$-loop driven by gliding arc plasma technology. Atmospheric $${\rm CO}_2$$ is captured in an alkaline absorption unit, where the pH value serves as a reliable performance parameter for system predictability. Subsequent liquid-solid conversion solidifies the captured $${\rm CO}_2$$ as $${\rm CaCO}_3$$, achieving a high yield with high phase purity. Rotating gliding arc plasma experiments successfully demonstrate the electric calcination for CaO regeneration and the $${\rm CO}_2$$ release to close the carbon and calcium loop. With the ability of simultaneous plasma-based $${\rm CO}_2$$ splitting the process enables the use of the resulting CO as a precursor for synthesis gas. The observation of internal temperature gradients facilitates the definition of a suitable reaction volume for calcination. XRD and TGA/DSC analyses confirm the formation of pure Ca-products, validating the concept. This work provides a foundational material-flow validation for this novel DAC Power-to-X pathway, substituting fossil fuels for calcination and DAC-operation entirely with electrical energy. The process offers a crucial opportunity for the decarbonization of the construction and transport sectors, with future work focusing on optimizing reactor design for continuous operation.