The future of carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) processes, depend on (i) the future demand of synthesised products with CO2, (ii) the availability of captured CO2, (iii) the overall CO2 not emitted because of using the CCU process, and (iv) the economics of the plant. The current work analyses the mentioned statements through different technological, environmental and economic key performance indicators for producing formic acid from CO2, along with their potential use and penetration in the European context. The product is a well known chemical that has potential as hydrogen carrier and as fuels for fuel cells. This work utilises process flow modelling, with simulations developed in CHEMCAD, to obtain the energy and mass balances, and the purchase equipment cost of the formic acid plant. Through a financial analysis (NPV) the price of the tonne of CO2 and of the tonne of product, are analysed to make the CCU project financially sustainable, which originally is unfeasible. According to our research, the processes represent a net saving of CO2 emissions, when compared to its corresponding conventional process. However, the success or effectiveness of the carbon dioxide utilisation process will also depend on other technologies and/or developments, like the availability of renewable electricity and steam.JRC.C.7-Knowledge for the Energy Unio

The deployment of zero-emission vehicles has the potential to drastically reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from road transport. The purpose of this study is to provide evidence on, and quantify the factors that influence, the European market for electric and fuel cell car technologies. The paper reports the results of a stated preference survey among 1,248 car owners in France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom. The variables that influence powertrain choice are quantified in a nested multinomial logit model. We find that the electric car purchase price continues to be a major deterrent to sales in the surveyed countries. The majority of the respondents considered government incentives as fundamental or important for considering an electric car purchase. Because of the differences in the socio-economic characteristics of consumers in each country, the effectiveness of government incentives may vary across Europe.

In this study, we consider the European electro-mobility market from an industrial perspective, and focus on effects of market conditions and manufacturer strategies, with the objective to gain insight on what could inhibit the successful market penetration of electric powertrain vehicles. We use the EC-JRC Powertrain Technology Transition Market Agent Model (PTTMAM), a system dynamics model based around the interactions of conceptual market agent groups in the EU. We assess strategies employed by automobile manufacturers towards the development and market penetration of electric vehicles. Impacts on electric powertrain sales shares (up to 2050) related to industrial strategies, represented by learning effect, marketing effort and R&D funding, are presented under different scenarios related to policy, regulation and market conditions. It is concluded from the results presented here that competition between electrical powertrain options may be more inhibitive than competition against conventional counterparts, with both monetary and non-monetary industry support for immature powertrains key to their long-term success when supportive policies are designed to be technology neutral.