Analysis of the preferred ethylene production route from carbon dioxide at a supply chain level: results of mathematical modelling for a Teesside case study

Abstract

Currently, new routes for producing chemical building blocks are required with the aim to support the energy and feedstock transition. Considering both global demand and production capacity, ethylene is the most important organic chemical and for this reason alternative production routes (based on carbon dioxide and water) have been investigated and screened in terms of costs and emissions in one of our previous works. In this research, the best alternative ethylene production technology is suggested at a supply chain level for the Teesside cluster (UK) through the development of two different mathematical models for the supply chain. Results show that the best ethylene production route is based on methanol-to-olefin plant where methanol is produced by syngas obtained from carbon dioxide-water co-electrolysis. Through a global sensitivity analysis based on a surrogate model, it is found that the carbon dioxide utilization cost has the highest impact on the supply chain total cost. The optimization of the electrolytic cell could help with cost reduction.