CARBON NEUTRAL SOLAR SYNGAS: COST AND POLICY CONSIDERATIONS

摘要

This paper explores the efficiency, cost, sustainability, and policy implications of solar syngas produced by the zinc/zinc-oxide solar thermochemical fuel production cycle. The sustainability of this syngas depends on the source of the water and carbon dioxide feedstocks. In particular, because the eventual use of the syngas will result in CO_2 emissions, the net CO_2 released in the overall process depends on the source of the CO_2 feedstock. The feedstock source also has important implications for the cost of the produced syngas. This paper explores different avenues for sourcing and regulating CO_2 to determine cost and sustainability of the overall process. The detailed economic analysis indicates that for solar syngas to approach economic competitiveness with fossil fuels, it will require substantial policy support, both in terms of incentive policies and through a policy that puts a price on carbon emissions. Even then, the feedstock carbon dioxide must be captured from a source that would not otherwise be capturing its carbon emissions to ensure the carbon-neutrality of the solar syngas.