Quantifying hybrid electrochemical–biological CO₂ conversion systems

Abstract

Hybrid electro-biomanufacturing provides an attractive route for converting CO₂ into fuels and chemicals beyond the constraints of natural photosynthesis. However, achieving systems-level high productivity and efficiency while maintaining robust electro-biological (electrobio) operation remains a key challenge. This mini review quantitatively benchmarks electrobio system architectures by evaluating the kinetic and chemical compatibility between electrochemical CO₂ reduction and biological conversion to identify the key determinants of performance and scalability. We demonstrate that carbon intermediate compatibility is the primary requirement for successful integration, while production–consumption rate matching ultimately determines system efficiency and scale-up potential. Together, these insights establish electrobio compatibility as a critical yet underappreciated design principle for guiding the development of next-generation electrobio manufacturing platforms.