CO₂ electrolysis is widely recognized as a promising pathway to enable carbon circularity in the chemical industry. However, from the perspective of a manufacturer of membrane electrode assembly components for various electrochemical applications, its industrialization is currently constrained less by fundamental electrochemistry than by a lack of material and system standardization across the value chain. In contrast to established technologies such as PEM water electrolysis, CO₂ electrolysis lacks clearly defined operating conditions, material specifications, and component benchmarks.

In PEM water electrolysis, decades of development have led to a well-converged materials ecosystem: catalyst compositions, membrane specifications, porous transport layers, and bipolar plates are standardized to a high degree, with clearly defined performance, durability, and quality requirements. This enables robust supply chains, reproducible manufacturing, and predictable scale-up. Component suppliers can optimize production processes with confidence in long-term demand and stable specifications.

By comparison, CO₂ electrolysis is characterized by a broad and rapidly evolving landscape of materials and cell concepts. Multiple competing approaches exist for catalysts, membranes (anion exchange, bipolar, hybrid), and gas diffusion electrodes, each operating under different conditions or targeting different products. Companies spearheading the field often use proprietary materials or electrolyzer architecture. This diversity results in fragmented demand profiles and a lack of industrial-grade specifications. Consequently, component manufacturers face challenges in ensuring consistent quality, qualifying materials, and justifying investments in large-scale production capacity.

Furthermore, the absence of harmonized testing protocols and lifetime criteria complicates direct comparison between material solutions. Performance claims are often system-specific, limiting transferability and increasing development risks. Unlike PEM water electrolysis, where material compatibility and durability are well understood, CO₂ electrolysis still lacks consensus on the most viable material combinations for industrial operation.

This contribution highlights the critical need for convergence in material selection, operating windows, and qualification standards. Establishing a more unified framework—similar to what has been achieved in water electrolysis—will be essential to enable reliable component manufacturing, reduce costs, and accelerate the industrial deployment of CO₂ electrolysis technologies.