According to the provisions of the revised Renewable Energy Directive (RED III), the electricity used for CO₂ electrolysis must be demonstrably renewable and come from newly established generation capacities. There are also requirements for temporal and spatial correlation: the renewable electricity must be generated in the same period and region as the fuel synthesis. Additionally, the resulting fuel must cause at least 70 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions over its lifecycle compared to a fossil reference product.
Carbon Sourcing as a Critical FactorA key finding of the report concerns the origin of the carbon dioxide used. While captured CO₂ can be used for fuel synthesis, the recognition of certain carbon sources changes according to project information due to EU legislation. This is relevant for investment decisions and plant planning—especially with regard to future restrictions on fossil-based CO₂ streams.
The report applies these regulatory requirements to the operation of electrochemical CO₂ conversion systems. Lifecycle assessment, integration of renewable energies, and system efficiency must be coordinated in the design phase to ensure compliance.
Background on the ECO2Fuel ProjectECO2Fuel is an EU project funded under Horizon 2020 (Green Deal). According to project information, the aim is to develop, build, and validate the world's first direct electrochemical CO₂ conversion system in the low-temperature range with a capacity of 1 MW. The system is intended to produce E-Fuels and chemicals. The consortium includes the German Aerospace Center (DLR), RWE, Bekaert, De Nora, HyGear, the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), and the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV).
