The DRIVE project was represented at the 6th Meeting of the Young Researchers of LAETA (EJIL 2025), held in Porto on 27–28 October 2025, with the presentation “Evaluation of Different CO₂ Capture Technologies – Life Cycle Assessment Approach.” The work was presented in the Energy, Environment & Sustainability (EES) thematic programme, a session dedicated to cutting-edge research on decarbonisation, clean technologies and sustainable industrial solutions.
This contribution highlights the central role of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in evaluating the environmental and economic sustainability of emerging CO₂ capture technologies—an essential step toward Europe’s climate neutrality goals and the long-term decarbonisation of heavy industry.
The Need for a Dual Strategy in Climate Action
As emphasised in the study, mitigating climate change requires a combined approach:
- Reducing CO₂ emissions at their source, particularly in energy-intensive sectors, and
- Deploying technologies that remove CO₂ from the atmosphere, supporting both carbon neutrality and the circular carbon economy.
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) remain two of the most promising systemic solutions. CCS ensures permanent geological sequestration, while CCU creates value-added products such as synthetic fuels, plastics and chemicals.
However, the success of both depends on fully understanding their environmental impacts across the entire lifecycle—from raw materials to end use.
The work presented at EJIL 2025 addresses exactly this gap.
Objectives of the Study: A Comprehensive LCA Framework
The research team focused on building a robust LCA methodology capable of assessing both traditional and next-generation CO₂ capture systems. Their study set out four key objectives:
1. Defining Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Establishing essential metrics for evaluating environmental impacts, including climate change potential, resource use, emissions and ecological indicators.
2. Performing Comparative LCA of CO₂ Capture Technologies
The study evaluates:
- Thermal regeneration technologies, and
- Electrochemical CO₂ capture pathways,
with special emphasis on emerging amine-based systems achieving >95% capture efficiency.
3. Constructing an Inventory Dataset for LCA
A structured life cycle inventory allows transparent comparison and replicable sustainability assessment.
4. Conducting an Integrated Environmental & Economic Assessment
A real-world case study is implemented for a cement industry application, one of the sectors with the highest CO₂ intensity.
Key Insights: Understanding Environmental Trade-offs
The findings demonstrate that both thermal and electrochemical CO₂ capture solutions can significantly contribute to industrial decarbonisation—but each with distinct environmental trade-offs.
Highlights from the analysis include:
- Amine-based systems with >95% capture efficiency show strong potential but also demand careful evaluation of solvent regeneration energy and material flows.
- Electrochemical pathways may reduce thermal energy demand, influencing the overall environmental footprint.
- The choice of system boundary (especially cradle-to-grave vs. cradle-to-gate) has a decisive impact on LCA results.
- Integrated LCA in cement production demonstrates how CO₂ capture interacts with upstream and downstream processes, revealing hotspots and optimisation opportunities.
These insights underscore the importance of using LCA early in the technology development process-something that DRIVE systematically embeds across its research activities.
Contribution to a Sustainable, Low-Carbon Future
The study presented at EJIL 2025 reinforces the fundamental role of LCA in guiding the design, optimisation and deployment of CO₂ capture systems.
Its conclusions contribute to:
- Better scientific understanding of environmental and economic impacts,
- Support for policymakers and industry, and
- Advancement of deep-removal CO₂ technologies in alignment with EU climate targets.
The research also aligns with the broader mission of the DRIVE project, which seeks to develop cost-effective, energy-efficient CO₂ capture technologies capable of supporting carbon neutrality across European industry.
A Step Forward for Young Researchers and Industrial Innovation
Participating in EJIL 2025 not only highlights the scientific contribution of the DRIVE consortium but also the active role of emerging researchers within the LAETA network. Their work bridges cutting-edge