Conferences, Workshops & Webinars

Workshop title: Beyond hydrogen-based CCU concepts: Solar carbon recycling as a future CCU alternative. Potentials and challenges

 Date: 15 April 2026

Time: 1545 – 1715 CET

Venue: Messecongress Graz, Austria

The workshop will discuss the current H₂-based CCU routes, their potentials and challenges, and compare two novel pathways:

1. New H₂ production technologies (e.g. direct photochemical H₂ production or multiproduct solar collectors for H₂ production) as near-future potential.
2. Potentials for H₂-free CCU recycling options in the further future – via direct solar photochemical CO₂ reduction.

Keynote Contributions

Two keynote speeches will provide the foundation for the workshop discussion:

• Anastasios Peremis (CO2Value Europe) will present an overview of the current CCU landscape in Europe and beyond, focusing on the classical hydrogen-based route, its opportunities, and deployment barriers.
• Michele Aresta (University of Bari / IC2R) will introduce direct CO₂ conversion as a hydrogen-free alternative, highlighting research needs, technological barriers, and future challenges of this emerging field.

The following panel discussion will address the deployment of CCU in a step-wise approach in the future: first via debottlenecking barriers for classical routes, second via new H₂ pathways (and whether they are necessary), and finally via H₂-free alternatives – examining whether they will be required and which framework conditions such technologies must ensure to become competitive in the long run.

Additional expert contributions

• Martin Höller from Wien Energie, discussing the availability and sustainability of hydrogen supply for future industrial CCU applications
• Christian Sattler, Head of the Institute for Future Fuels at DLR, providing value chain perspectives, market needs for CCU-based products, and related technological challenges

The workshop will contribute to the broader dialogue on sustainable CCU deployment and the role of solar-driven carbon recycling technologies in achieving long-term climate and industrial sustainability goals, in line with the objectives of the DESIRED project.