Techno-Economic, Life Cycle, and Decision Analyses of Carbon Capture and Utilization–Hydrogen Power Systems for Sustainable Energy Generation

Abstract

This study presents an integrated framework to evaluate carbon capture and utilization (CCU)-hydrogen power systems for sustainable development. Techno-economic analysis (TEA), life cycle assessment (LCA), and fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making (Fuzzy-MCDM) are integrated to systematically assess the environmental performance, economic feasibility, and overall sustainability of the proposed system. Results show that the system reduces life cycle environmental impacts by 43.33%–43.46% compared with conventional natural gas combined-cycle plants, with an internal rate of return (IRR) of 24%–25% and a payback period (PP) of approximately 4 years. The analysis demonstrates that integrating CCU with renewable hydrogen shifts carbon emissions from a linear pathway toward a more circular carbon-utilization pathway, supporting climate mitigation and resource efficiency. These findings highlight the potential of integrated low-carbon energy systems to guide policy, improve environmental management, and promote long-term socio-economic sustainability. Overall, the proposed framework provides a practical decision-support tool for comparing alternative energy-system configurations and supporting carbon-neutral energy transitions aligned with global sustainability goals.