In a global mission to reduce atmospheric concentrations of anthropogenic carbon dioxide, the energy- and carbon-emission-intensive, century-old urea industry has re-captured attention. Today, global urea manufacture from the reaction of ammonia and carbon dioxide, enabled by the Bosch-Meiser process, yields 910 kg of CO for every ton of urea generated. This amount of CO is close to the quantity of CO fixed during its production. Positively, urea utilization as a nitrogen fertilizer facilitates photosynthesis, earth’s largest carbon capture carbon cycle. Negatively, the environmental impact of urea production presents a prime example of one of many global industries that need to be decarbonized to ameliorate climate change in the quest for sustainability. In this perspective, we explore the technical feasibility of green urea production, using system-wide energy efficiency as a key metric, via thermochemistry, electrochemistry, and photochemistry pathways. Baseline parameters for potential green urea industries are benchmarked by comparison with current Bosch-Meiser operations. Quantitative studies of this kind will help define a roadmap for green urea refineries that is consistent with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

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可持续农业的绿色尿素生产

在降低大气中人为二氧化碳浓度的全球使命中，具有百年历史的能源和碳排放密集型尿素工业重新引起人们的关注。如今，全球通过博世-迈瑟工艺通过氨和二氧化碳反应生产尿素，每生产一吨尿素就会产生 910 公斤二氧化碳。这一二氧化碳量接近其生产过程中固定的二氧化碳量。积极的一面是，尿素用作氮肥可以促进光合作用，这是地球上最大的碳捕获碳循环。不利的是，尿素生产对环境的影响是全球许多行业在追求可持续性的过程中需要脱碳以缓解气候变化的一个典型例子。从这个角度来看，我们通过热化学、电化学和光化学途径，利用全系统能源效率作为关键指标，探索绿色尿素生产的技术可行性。潜在绿色尿素行业的基准参数是通过与博世迈瑟目前的运营进行比较来确定的。此类定量研究将有助于制定符合联合国可持续发展目标的绿色尿素精炼厂路线图。