Full-chain efficiency screening of CCU pathways: Evidence from 60 routes in China

Yi Zhuo Ji; Jia Ning Kang; Xiao Xi Tian; Yun Long Zhang; Ya Lin Shu; Chang Jing Ji; Li Liu; Yi Ming Wei

doi:10.1016/j.jcou.2026.103399

Full-chain efficiency screening of CCU pathways: Evidence from 60 routes in China

Yi Zhuo Ji
, Jia Ning Kang^*
, Xiao Xi Tian
, Yun Long Zhang
, Ya Lin Shu
, Chang Jing Ji
, Li Liu
, Yi Ming Wei

^*此作品的通讯作者

Beijing Institute of Technology
Basic Science Center for Energy and Climate Change
Beijing Laboratory for System Engineering of Carbon Neutrality
Chalmers University of Technology
ShanghaiTech University

科研成果: 期刊稿件 › 文章 › 同行评审

摘要

Carbon capture and utilization (CCU) is regarded as a critical pathway for the low-carbon transition of the industrial sector. However, due to the substantial technological heterogeneity and complex cross-stage coupling inherent in CCU systems, the prevailing focus of existing studies on individual stages fails to capture comprehensive pathway-level performance. To address this gap, this study introduces a double-frontier network DEA framework into full-chain CCU evaluation to support pathway characterization and screening, simultaneously assessing optimistic efficiency (representing pathway performance potential under optimistic scenarios) and pessimistic efficiency (reflecting robustness under unfavorable conditions). Furthermore, a three-stage network structure comprising 8 capture technologies, 2 transport modes, and 11 utilization technologies is constructed, resulting in 60 feasible CCU pathways. The network DEA model incorporates investment cost, energy consumption, and technological maturity as inputs, while output value and abatement potential are treated as desirable outputs and CO₂ leakage as an undesirable output. Results show that overall efficiency ranges from 0.14 to 0.46 (mean = 0.24; median = 0.25), indicating a relatively low-to-moderate level of multidimensional system performance, and high-efficiency pathways are mainly concentrated in pipeline transport and mineralization technologies. In addition, 11 robust pathways and 18 opportunity-oriented pathways are identified, providing quantitative evidence for pathway screening and differentiated deployment. Regional comparisons further reveal marked structural reordering of pathway performance across typical regions, with region-specific high-efficiency portfolios reflecting differences in industrial composition, emission intensity, and market conditions.

源语言	英语
文章编号	103399
期刊	Journal of CO2 Utilization
卷	106
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcou.2026.103399
出版状态	已出版 - 4月 2026
已对外发布	是

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title = "Full-chain efficiency screening of CCU pathways: Evidence from 60 routes in China",

abstract = "Carbon capture and utilization (CCU) is regarded as a critical pathway for the low-carbon transition of the industrial sector. However, due to the substantial technological heterogeneity and complex cross-stage coupling inherent in CCU systems, the prevailing focus of existing studies on individual stages fails to capture comprehensive pathway-level performance. To address this gap, this study introduces a double-frontier network DEA framework into full-chain CCU evaluation to support pathway characterization and screening, simultaneously assessing optimistic efficiency (representing pathway performance potential under optimistic scenarios) and pessimistic efficiency (reflecting robustness under unfavorable conditions). Furthermore, a three-stage network structure comprising 8 capture technologies, 2 transport modes, and 11 utilization technologies is constructed, resulting in 60 feasible CCU pathways. The network DEA model incorporates investment cost, energy consumption, and technological maturity as inputs, while output value and abatement potential are treated as desirable outputs and CO2 leakage as an undesirable output. Results show that overall efficiency ranges from 0.14 to 0.46 (mean = 0.24; median = 0.25), indicating a relatively low-to-moderate level of multidimensional system performance, and high-efficiency pathways are mainly concentrated in pipeline transport and mineralization technologies. In addition, 11 robust pathways and 18 opportunity-oriented pathways are identified, providing quantitative evidence for pathway screening and differentiated deployment. Regional comparisons further reveal marked structural reordering of pathway performance across typical regions, with region-specific high-efficiency portfolios reflecting differences in industrial composition, emission intensity, and market conditions.",

keywords = "Carbon capture and utilization (CCU), Double-frontier network DEA, Technology pathway screening, Typical-region comparison, Undesirable outputs",

author = "Ji, \{Yi Zhuo\} and Kang, \{Jia Ning\} and Tian, \{Xiao Xi\} and Zhang, \{Yun Long\} and Shu, \{Ya Lin\} and Ji, \{Chang Jing\} and Li Liu and Wei, \{Yi Ming\}",

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month = apr,

doi = "10.1016/j.jcou.2026.103399",

language = "English",

volume = "106",

journal = "Journal of CO2 Utilization",

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T2 - Evidence from 60 routes in China

AU - Ji, Yi Zhuo

AU - Kang, Jia Ning

AU - Tian, Xiao Xi

AU - Zhang, Yun Long

AU - Shu, Ya Lin

AU - Ji, Chang Jing

AU - Liu, Li

AU - Wei, Yi Ming

PY - 2026/4

Y1 - 2026/4

N2 - Carbon capture and utilization (CCU) is regarded as a critical pathway for the low-carbon transition of the industrial sector. However, due to the substantial technological heterogeneity and complex cross-stage coupling inherent in CCU systems, the prevailing focus of existing studies on individual stages fails to capture comprehensive pathway-level performance. To address this gap, this study introduces a double-frontier network DEA framework into full-chain CCU evaluation to support pathway characterization and screening, simultaneously assessing optimistic efficiency (representing pathway performance potential under optimistic scenarios) and pessimistic efficiency (reflecting robustness under unfavorable conditions). Furthermore, a three-stage network structure comprising 8 capture technologies, 2 transport modes, and 11 utilization technologies is constructed, resulting in 60 feasible CCU pathways. The network DEA model incorporates investment cost, energy consumption, and technological maturity as inputs, while output value and abatement potential are treated as desirable outputs and CO2 leakage as an undesirable output. Results show that overall efficiency ranges from 0.14 to 0.46 (mean = 0.24; median = 0.25), indicating a relatively low-to-moderate level of multidimensional system performance, and high-efficiency pathways are mainly concentrated in pipeline transport and mineralization technologies. In addition, 11 robust pathways and 18 opportunity-oriented pathways are identified, providing quantitative evidence for pathway screening and differentiated deployment. Regional comparisons further reveal marked structural reordering of pathway performance across typical regions, with region-specific high-efficiency portfolios reflecting differences in industrial composition, emission intensity, and market conditions.

AB - Carbon capture and utilization (CCU) is regarded as a critical pathway for the low-carbon transition of the industrial sector. However, due to the substantial technological heterogeneity and complex cross-stage coupling inherent in CCU systems, the prevailing focus of existing studies on individual stages fails to capture comprehensive pathway-level performance. To address this gap, this study introduces a double-frontier network DEA framework into full-chain CCU evaluation to support pathway characterization and screening, simultaneously assessing optimistic efficiency (representing pathway performance potential under optimistic scenarios) and pessimistic efficiency (reflecting robustness under unfavorable conditions). Furthermore, a three-stage network structure comprising 8 capture technologies, 2 transport modes, and 11 utilization technologies is constructed, resulting in 60 feasible CCU pathways. The network DEA model incorporates investment cost, energy consumption, and technological maturity as inputs, while output value and abatement potential are treated as desirable outputs and CO2 leakage as an undesirable output. Results show that overall efficiency ranges from 0.14 to 0.46 (mean = 0.24; median = 0.25), indicating a relatively low-to-moderate level of multidimensional system performance, and high-efficiency pathways are mainly concentrated in pipeline transport and mineralization technologies. In addition, 11 robust pathways and 18 opportunity-oriented pathways are identified, providing quantitative evidence for pathway screening and differentiated deployment. Regional comparisons further reveal marked structural reordering of pathway performance across typical regions, with region-specific high-efficiency portfolios reflecting differences in industrial composition, emission intensity, and market conditions.

KW - Carbon capture and utilization (CCU)

KW - Double-frontier network DEA

KW - Technology pathway screening

KW - Typical-region comparison

KW - Undesirable outputs

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VL - 106

JO - Journal of CO2 Utilization

JF - Journal of CO2 Utilization

M1 - 103399

ER -

Full-chain efficiency screening of CCU pathways: Evidence from 60 routes in China

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