Advancements in Environmentally Sustainable Technologies for Ethylene Production

Rapid advancements in renewable energy and the staggering environmental impact of ethylene production have made the quest for "green ethylene" urgent. This Review explores traditional and emerging methods for ethylene production, focusing on the transition from conventional to electrified processes. The global importance of ethylene industry, valued at $230 billion, cannot be overlooked. However, its significant contribution of 150 million t of annual CO2 emissions necessitates adopting carbon-negative and sustainable approaches. The declining cost of renewable energy has sparked interest in electrified processes, including electric crackers and electrochemical reactors for ethylene production. This Review provides a balanced overview of the performance attributes of conventional reactors, such as conversion, selectivity, and operating temperatures, and the crucial features of electrochemical reactors, including Faradaic efficiency and current density. Operating electrochemical reactors poses their own challenges, such as corrosion and lower energy efficiencies, which are discussed in detail. The Review also examines the economic aspects of "green ethylene" production, identifying challenges and opportunities. A comprehensive roadmap is presented to meet the global production scale of green ethylene. This roadmap outlines the steps needed to transition from conventional to electrified processes, ensuring a sustainable and environmentally friendly future for ethylene production. In summary, we emphasize the urgent need for carbon-negative ethylene production and provide transition pathways from conventional to electrochemical processes. The Review also provides insights into the performance attributes of different reactors, discusses their challenges, and presents an economic analysis.