Consensus, in theory, means a group of people reaching a decision. In practice, it often means hours of discussion leading to decisions that everyone supposedly agrees to, but that no individual can be held accountable for (“I didn’t vote for that!”).
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Alignment emerges when you listen to everyone, involve them in a decision, and then ask for their commitment even if they don’t agree. It means asking questions to understand and acknowledging differences, not papering over them. People with differing opinions can still agree on shared goals, and if you ask for their help, align on means.
Consensus is a pipe dream. You need alignment. Do you agree? See "Achieving, Alignment and Buy-in" in Chapter 8 of my book, Product Roadmaps Relaunched.