There are a variety of proposed electrochemical separation technologies based on range of operating principles. The three main categories are molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs), electrolytic cells with porous electrodes and membrane separators, and electrochemically-mediated separations. The molten carbonate technologies are required to operate in highly corrosive environments which limit the lifespan of the cells to approximately 5 years. Nickel and lithium feature heavily in the construction and operation of these cells and thus may expose the technology to the aforementioned issues surrounding these materials. Given the short lifespan of the cells, investigation should also be carried out in to the recyclability or refurbishment of the cells to reduce waste. In terms of the electrolytic style cells, the electrodes are typically based on nickel, platinum, palladium, or ruthenium. A proposed electrochemically-mediated separation opts for an ionic liquid as the electrolyte; as addressed for new generation absorbents, the large scale production of these is still unclear at this stage.