This focus on implementation was evident from the opening remarks. “You have consistently pursued the concept of technology transfer in this project: your results must now find their way into practical application,” emphasized Stefan Müller from the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space. This also means making the knowledge gained in the project available for use in other applications. One building block for this is the planned handbook on the ongoing long-term trials . At the same time, Stefan Müller referred to the funding program launched in September, “Innovative Production of E-Fuels and CCU-Based Precursors – New Pathways for Climate-Neutral Fuels of the Future,” which is intended to further strengthen CCU research.

Carbon2Chem^®: From pilot scale to industrial application

In his opening remarks , Prof. Robert Schlögl, one of the three coordinators of the joint research project, outlined where Carbon2Chem^® stands after ten years of research. At pilot scale, Carbon2Chem^® has demonstrated that methanol synthesis using gases from various sources works reliably, provided they are carefully purified beforehand. Dynamic plant operation can also be used to optimize the economic efficiency of the entire system. Various operating concepts are now being evaluated as technology moves toward industrial scale.

The emphasis is shifting from demonstrating technical feasibility to the question of how the research results can be turned into robust, scalable industrial solutions. Extensive operational data and metadata from the project will also be analyzed in the future using artificial intelligence methods.

For Robert Schlögl, speed is a decisive factor in the transformation. He emphasized that, to reduce CO₂ emissions as quickly as possible, stable economic incentives for CO₂ avoidance are needed in addition to reliable technologies.

Carbon2Chem^® for steel, cement, and alternative carbon sources

Prof. Görge Deerberg, Carbon2Chem^® coordinator at Fraunhofer UMSICHT, explained how the results could be applied in other industries and contexts. He noted that the project’s motivation has evolved in recent years. In addition to climate protection and closed carbon cycles, the resilience of industrial value chains is increasingly becoming a key focus.

At the heart of this approach is the vision of cross-sector carbon cycles. Such carbon cycles can be established within individual industrial sites, across regional networks of stakeholders, or throughout larger supply systems. In addition to the steel industry, Carbon2Chem^® therefore examines, among other things, the cement industry and waste management, as well as alternative carbon sources such as biogenic residues.

The project's research infrastructures constitute the foundation for this work. At the Carbon2Chem^®laboratory in Oberhausen, analytical methods, materials, catalysts, and process conditions – among other factors – are investigated under controlled conditions. At the Carbon2Chem^®pilot plant in Duisburg, these technologies are tested under industrial conditions: There, real steel mill gases are used in conjunction with gas analysis and treatment, water electrolysis, and methanol synthesis.

An important finding from the work conducted so far: Purified metallurgical gases can be used reliably for methanol synthesis over thousands of operating hours. Challenges include dynamic gas compositions and trace substances that can affect catalysts and reactions. Higher CO₂ concentrations in the feed gases also create different process requirements compared with conventional methanol synthesis based on CO and hydrogen.

For various industrial applications, Carbon2Chem^® therefore relies on modular and flexible process concepts: components should be adaptable to the specific feedstock conditions, and processes must be flexible enough to respond to changing operating conditions. Modeling tools support process design, process control, and evaluation.

Scaling CCU: Economic viability and business models are the key factors

One message recurred throughout the conference: technical maturity alone is not enough to enter the market. Matthias Brey, Europe West Sustainability Leader at EY Consulting, summed up the challenge clearly: There is demand for renewable methanol, but various risks are currently preventing large-scale investment decisions.

These include particularly the costs and availability of energy and hydrogen, long-term offtake commitments, regulatory requirements and certification, as well as financing and risk sharing. These factors must be considered collectively. Only once the overall risk has been sufficiently reduced sound investment decisions can be made.

The Ecocalor use case presented at the conference illustrates one possible approach. In this process, waste materials are first gasified, and the resulting synthesis gas is then used for methanol production. Because carbon is already contained in the feedstock, this can, among other things, reduce dependence on additional hydrogen supplies. The key is to integrate feedstocks, technology, energy and material flows, and downstream markets.

This brings another aspect into question, in addition to climate protection: security of supply. Regionally produced methanol could not only contribute to defossilization but also reduce dependence on imported fossil raw materials. In this way, carbon management links environmental goals with issues of industrial resilience.

CO₂ and hydrogen infrastructures as the basis for industrial CCU

For new carbon cycles to emerge, it is not enough for conversion technologies to be available. Infrastructure is also needed to transport CO₂ and hydrogen between sources, production sites, consumers, and, where applicable, storage sites. Lukas Haberland of Fluxys Deutschland illustrated what an infrastructure might look like using the examples of Belgium and Northwestern Europe. In Belgium, a CO₂ network with a total length of up to 700 kilometers is planned, which is intended to connect industrial clusters with one another and with export and storage options. According to the plans presented, the first sections could go into operation as early as 2031, depending, among other things, on market developments and binding commitments.

Of relevance to the Rhine-Ruhr region is the “Ruhbens – Ruhr, Belgium, North Sea” project. The planned connection, approximately 500 kilometers long, is intended to link German industrial CO₂ sources with Belgian export opportunities. The goal is to begin operations in the early 2030s, depending on market developments and funding opportunities.

Dr. Stefan Kaufmann cited India as an example to illustrate the potential of emerging international markets for sustainable hydrogen and methanol. As a senior advisor to the GH2 organization and a member of the International Advisory Board of GH2 India, he focused on the country’s emerging methanol ecosystem. Scaling up e-methanol depends on more than just low-cost production. The key factors are the economic viability of the entire value chain, regulatory compliance, suitable infrastructure, and guaranteed offtake. Certification, traceability, and robust evidence of carbon intensity are increasingly important prerequisites for bankable projects.

CO₂ as a raw material: New CCU applications for fuels and materials

Further presentations at the conference demonstrated a wide range of potential applications for CO₂ as a raw material. Tobias Roelofs from TNO presented findings from the European TAKE-OFF project on the production of sustainable aviation fuels. The study examined various synthesis routes through which CO₂ and hydrogen can be processed into sustainable aviation fuels via intermediate products such as methanol or olefins. Among other things, the goal of this technological development is to achieve higher carbon efficiency with lower hydrogen consumption and greater selectivity toward the desired fuel.

Startups are also thriving the development of CCU solutions. Dr. Lisa Heymann of Co-reactive presented a process for CO₂ mineralization designed to permanently bind CO₂ into cementitious additives. Dr. Niklas Friedrichsen of Greenlyte Carbon Technologies, on the other hand, presented a modular platform that combines direct air capture with electrochemical desorption and hydrogen production. Dr. Pierre Calleja of SKYLEA presented another approach to CO₂ utilization based on immobilized microalgae.

In a subsequent panel discussion, the focus was on the financing conditions necessary to implement such innovations on a large scale. In particular, the discussion centered on how the differing requirements of startups, investors, and industrial scale-up projects can be reconciled. The presentations thus highlighted a broad spectrum of possibilities: CO₂ can serve as a starting point for chemicals and fuels, be permanently bounded into materials, or be integrated into new industrial value chains.

Carbon management: Technology, markets, and regulatory frameworks

Dr. Gernot Kalkoffen, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of ExxonMobil Central Europe Holding GmbH, focused on the international energy transition. He noted that global energy demand is rising, while greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced at the same time. Three factors are crucial for a successful transition: technology, the political framework, and customer demand.

Prof. Shih-kang Lin of National Cheng Kung University also demonstrated that CO₂-intensive basic industries require a range of transformation pathways, using the Taiwanese steel industry as an example. He presented research on lower-CO₂ blast furnace operations, the use of hydrogen-rich gases, direct reduction, and the use of electric arc furnaces. The presentation thus broadened the perspective on international strategies for the defossilization of energy-intensive industrial processes.

Ten years of Carbon2Chem^®: The next step is industrial scaling

After ten years of Carbon2Chem^®, the results are thus mixed: On the technological side, essential foundations have been laid. Among other things, gas analysis and purification have been tested, methanol synthesis using real metallurgical gases has been demonstrated, and tools for simulation, process design, and environmental and economic assessment have been developed. At the same time, a look at industrialization reveals that the components must function as an integrated system and become economically viable.

This is precisely where further work should begin. How can technologies be scaled up? What combination of carbon sources, hydrogen, process, and product yields a robust business case? And how can companies reduce investment risks? These questions took center stage in 2026 more so than at previous Carbon2Chem^® conferences.

“We’re on the right track – we have the right solutions and topics,” concluded Dr. Markus Oles, the third coordinator of the joint research project. Over the next two and a half years, the solutions will be further developed so they can make their way into industrial application.

This marks the beginning of a new phase for Carbon2Chem^® after ten years of research: Scientifically sound technologies are to be transformed into scalable solutions for industrial carbon cycles – with the goal of combining climate protection, economic value creation, and a more resilient supply of raw materials.

About Carbon2Chem^®

In the Carbon2Chem^® joint research project, partners from research and industry are working to harness unavoidable CO₂ from industrial processes as a feedstock for chemical production. The focus is on cross-industry production networks that connect the basic materials industry and the chemical industry through Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU). The goal is to replace fossil raw materials, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and support a circular carbon economy.

Overall coordination bridges fundamental research, applied research, and industry: Prof. Dr. Robert Schlögl represents fundamental research, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Görge Deerberg (director of Technology Transfer at Fraunhofer UMSICHT) represents applied research, and Dr. Markus Oles represents industry. Carbon2Chem^® is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space. In the third project phase, which began in 2025, the focus is on implementing the developed solutions into industrial applications.