Energy & Decarbonization

Key applications, both mature and emerging, for gas separation membranes include biogas upgrading, natural gas processing, carbon capture, and hydrogen separation. As gas separation membrane markets grow, start-ups seek to commercialize new membrane materials and composite structures.

Carbon capture technologies are mature and have existed for decades, but with the expense that comes with deploying them, there is little incentive for businesses to adopt them outside of carbon pricing regulations or tax incentives. CO2 utilization makes carbon capture viable outside of climate motivations because it allows the process to generate revenue.

Wednesday 4 June 2025 - How to Bottle a Star: IDTechEx Explores Commercial Fusion Energy; Review of the principles of fusion energy and the drivers behind the industry's rapid growth; Technical overview of the fusion energy market landscape; Analysis of the leading approaches to achieving commercial fusion; Discussion of the critical materials for fusion and the challenges for the supply chain of key components.

Green cement technologies will avoid a further 422 megatonnes of CO₂ emissions by 2035, according to research from the IDTechEx market report "Decarbonization of Cement 2025-2035: Technologies, Market Forecasts, and Players" - https://www.IDTechEx.com/Cement. In this short video, Senior Technology Anayst Eve Pope talks through progress in cement decarbonization.

A future of sustainability that stretches across the planet, from CO₂-created diamonds and self-healing cities to deep ocean storage, could be reimagined with IDTechEx's large portfolio of sustainability market research. Finding new outlets for harmful gases, using robots to clean the streets, and opting for innovative methods to create clothing, food, and packaging could all allow the environment a chance to breathe.

Wednesday 28 May 2025 - The Future of Sustainable Chemicals: Next-Generation Feedstocks and Lignin Valorization; Conventional chemicals and decarbonization of the chemical industry; The potential of next-generation feedstocks as resources to produce sustainable chemicals; Lignocellulosic biomass as a feedstock for biochemicals: challenges and opportunities; New applications for lignin valorization enabled by new extraction technologies

The global steel industry is shifting towards decarbonization, with hydrogen-based and electric ironmaking technologies developing at an accelerated pace in recent years. This article examines the dominance of hydrogen-based direct reduced iron (H2-DRI) in current green steel project pipelines, as well as the infrastructure and cost challenges hampering widespread adoption.

Direct air capture (DAC) could play an essential role in meeting global net-zero targets by addressing residual and legacy CO₂ emissions. However, capture costs are currently too high. This IDTechEx article explores pathways to lower-cost DAC.

Tuesday 13 May 2025 - Are Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) Ready for Large Scale Commercialization?; An overview of emerging MOF-based technologies approaching commercialization; Material choices and considerations for MOFs in key applications, such as carbon capture and water harvesting; Scaling MOF production for industrial applications; Market status and outlook for MOF demand based on IDTechEx forecasts

This article discusses the potential of alternative chemical feedstocks, such as lignocellulosic waste, to produce sustainable chemicals. Next-generation chemical feedstocks are a vital tool in the global effort towards decarbonization.