(Invited) The Science of Scale-up: Accelerating CO2 Electrolyzer Development

CO 2 electrolysis has attracted significant industry interest given its potential to decarbonize production of top 5 commodities like ethylene, methanol, and propylene. However, defining a critical path for CO 2 electrolyzer scale-up and deployment remains a challenge as it is a nascent disruptive technology. Here, I will briefly describe how we collaborated with industry to develop a risk assessment protocol that exposes researchers to a use-inspired mindset for early-stage research in lab environments. We identified and prioritized 87+ risks towards CO 2 electrolyzer scale-up and deployment, defining a critical path that emphasizes improving electrolyzer durability and reliability. I’ll discuss experimental outcomes from shifting our project plan towards managing water and salt in CO 2 electrolyzers. Finally, I will provide examples of how we have developed integrated physics-based modeling and analysis frameworks that inform electrolyzer operation.