CCU pathways in Austria: A life cycle-based assessment of climate target compatibility and mitigation potentials

The integration of carbon dioxide into industrial production to support Austria’s 2030 and 2040 climate targets requires timely technological maturity and measurable greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions compared to conventional pathways. This study evaluates nine carbon capture and utilization (CCU) technologies for their applicability in national industrial and energy sectors. Harmonized life cycle assessment data are aligned with the national framework and recalculated using a unified functional unit of 1 kg CO2 utilized, providing a consistent basis for comparison and evaluation of mitigation potentials. Based on predefined criteria for technology readiness and emission performance, four technologies are identified as compatible with Austria’s 2030 targets: direct hydrogenation to methanol, high gravity carbonation, carbonation of steel slag blocks, and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis using syngas from reversed water gas shift. By 2040, compatibility is limited to mineralization-based pathways, provided that biogenic CO2 is utilized. A substitution-based assessment yields theoretical upper-bound GHG mitigation potentials of up to 42 Mt CO2e in 2030 and 23 Mt CO2e in 2040, assuming full substitution of conventional products. When key system constraints are considered, the achievable mitigation potential is reduced to approximately 2 Mt CO2e per year or less, highlighting both the relevance and the limitations of CCU as a component of Austria’s climate mitigation portfolio.