Carbon—Classification, Sources, and Potentials

Volume
Part F3771
Start Page
355
End Page
397
Citation
In: Powerfuels : Status and Prospects / edited by Nils Bullerdiek, Ulf Neuling, Martin Kaltschmitt. - 1st ed. 2025. - Cham : Springer Nature Switzerland ; Cham : Imprint: Springer, 2025
Publisher DOI
10.1007/978-3-031-62411-7_14
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85212303229
Publisher
Springer
ISSN
18653529
ISBN
978-3-031-62411-7
Carbon is a vital element in the biosphere due to its abundance in living organisms. It exists in both pure and chemically bound forms and has the capacity to form a wide range of complex compounds, making it integral to industrial society. Since the Industrial Revolution, carbon-based fuels (e.g., coal, oil, natural gas) have been the primary sources of energy, but their combustion releases CO2, contributing significantly to anthropogenic climate change. Despite the need to limit fossil fuels, hydrocarbons will remain crucial for sectors like chemicals and transportation, where alternative energy sources are challenging to implement. Sustainable synthetic or biologically produced hydrocarbons may offer alternatives for hard-to-decarbonize sectors. This chapter examines carbon availability, focusing on CO2 provision options, categorizes carbon sources (fossil, biogenic, mixed), and assesses their potential in transitioning toward a defossilised energy and economic system.
Subjects
Alternative carbon | Carbon capture | Carbon classification | Carbon cycle | Carbon potentials | Carbon sources | CO 2 | Utilization
DDC Class
333.7: Natural Resources, Energy and Environment
660: Chemistry; Chemical Engineering