Advances in life cycle assessment of chemical absorption-based carbon capture technologies

With the rapid advancement of industry and the continuous growth of population, there has been a noteworthy surge in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, thereby exacerbating the impact of climate change. Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is widely recognized as a pivotal technology in addressing global climate change. This is attributed to its alignment with existing energy infrastructure and its substantial potential for significant reduction in CO2 emissions. Among the alternatives for carbon capture, chemical absorption stands out due to its robust processing capacity, adaptability, and high reliability, making it the most mature technology for capturing CO2 in contemporary power plants. Life cycle assessment (LCA) can assist decision-makers in determining whether the use of the technology to mitigate GHG emissions will result in elevated environmental impacts. This work offers an overview of the problems and present status associated with different chemical solvents in CO2 capture and emphasizes the merits and drawbacks in the use of different solvents within the absorption process. Although the integration of chemical absorption systems in power plants leads to a substantial reduction in direct CO2 emissions, there are varying degrees of impacts on other environmental impact categories (e.g., acidification, eutrophication, ecological and human toxicity, etc.) in addition to global warming. This paper analyzes the potential environmental impacts associated with carbon capture using different solvents and suggests directions for improvement. Finally, it is reviewed in the aspects of combination with new technology and interdisciplinary evaluation. This work aims to deepen our comprehension of the environmental impacts linked to diverse post-combustion CO2 capture systems relying on chemical absorption, facilitating decision-makers in developing optimal solutions that provide both economic and environmental benefits.