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ABSTRACT: Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) comprise technologies that capture carbon dioxide and convert it into chemical products, such as fuels, chemicals and building materials that can replace the same products derived from fossil resources. These technologies can thus contribute to reach the ambitious 2030 targets set by the European Union for decarbonisation of the economy of 40% CO2 reduction, introduction of 27% renewable energies in the energy mix and 27% energy efficiency. CCU technologies are at different stages of maturity and some are already commercially deployed. One of these commercial technologies is the production of methanol by CO2 hydrogenation at high temperature using hydrogen produced by water electrolysis. Another CCU technology that is still at laboratory stage is electrochemical CO2 reduction. In this process carbon dioxide is co-electrolyzed with water near room temperature. Hydrogen is produced in situ. Depending on process conditions and catalysts CO2 reduction originates a series of products, such as CO, formic acid, hydrocarbons, alcohols etc. at the cathode. Oxygen is produced at the anode resulting from water oxidation reaction. Figure 1 illustrates the process. Electrochemical CO2 reduction presents several technological challenges that have not been surpassed yet, such as low CO2 conversions, poor stability of electrodes and low energy efficiencies. This work reports not yet published results of the development of a pressurized electrochemical process for producing syngas (CO + H2) by electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide. Green syngas produced using renewable energy can be an important platform for introducing renewable energy in the chemical industry. The development of a process that works at pressures higher then atmospheric pressure seems promising to circumvent the aforementioned challenges, namely low conversions and low energy efficiencies. ; N/A

Successful proof of low degradation rates and lifetimes meeting market introduction requirements were the major achievements of our long-standing fuel cell research within the last two years. In the context of the transformation of the German energy sector, water electrolysis for energy storage was reintroduced into the research portfolio. A strong group of 15 staff is established with the perspective of expansion to over 20 staff in the next two years. The focus is set on polymer membrane electrolysis and modeling of alkaline electrolyzers. Battery research was included in the portfolio through systems analysis as a first step and is now being extended to in operando visualization and analytics of passive layers on lithium ion battery materials. The systems analysis group was geared toward hydrogen infrastructure investigations in view of increasing demand for energy storage of renewable energy. On the other hand, the carbon capture activities which were planned for further expansion were reduced in the wake of the political decision not to pass the envisaged law for carbon dioxide storage and the following sobering appreciation by industry.Nonetheless, a very successful international conference, the 3$^{rd}$ CEPE, was held on the subject with substantial involvement and support from the IEK-3. Besides the conference proceedings a comprehensive book was edited in summer 2011, just before the aforementioned lack of clarity for carbon dioxide storage gave rise to let the activity taper off to the level of observation. Membrane separation and carbon capture for carbon dioxide reuse are still vital research objects.These major changes in the portfolio caused a name change from Institute for Fuel Cells to Institute for Electrochemical Process Engineering. It covers the interdisciplinary work from fundamental electrochemistry and modeling, via electrode, membrane-electrode-assembly and stack design, analytics and manufacture up to process engineering of subsystems and systems, including systems analysis for the focus ...