Towards decarbonized heavy-duty road transportation: Design and carbon footprint of adsorption-based carbon capture technologies using life cycle thinking

Road transportation is a necessity for global economic activities because it not only moves goods but also connects people. On the contrary, it contributes significantly to climate change. The rising demand for heavy-duty transportation, coupled with increasing global warming concerns, has necessitated solutions for decarbonization. The transition to zero-emissions is challenging due to factors such as high energy–density demand, high reliability, and the need to travel long distances, which stem from fossil fuel combustion. This study designs a carbon capture and storage adsorption-based system to mitigate CO₂ emissions from heavy-duty vehicles. The method integrates three classes of adsorbent materials, including metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), zeolites, and solid amines for capture and Cr-soc-MOF for storage. The study calculates the size, CO₂ purity and recovery, and power demand of the system. Further, it quantifies the effective global warming potential reduction based on a comparative life cycle assessment study. The results of the study show the feasibility of decarbonization of heavy-duty vehicles through onboard carbon capture and storage.