Existing (production of urea, dimethyl carbonate, polypropylene carbonate) and promising (production of methanol, synthesis gas, monomers dedicated to synthesis of polyurethanes and polycarbonate) chemical technologies which any, time soon, may become CO2 based economy for producing motor fuels and basic chemicals have been overviewed. Based on estimates of CO2 removals in these processes, it has been concluded that there is a potential for developing technologies to produce methanol from CO2 to a competitive cost of the target product. It is expected that interest in this process will decrease if stable carbon dioxide conversion catalysts for methane are introduced into the market.
