At the 2025 CO₂-based Fuels and Chemicals Conference held in Cologne and online, three companies were honored for exceptional advancements in carbon capture and utilisation (CCU). Out of six finalists, UP Catalyst, Far Eastern New Century Corporation, and Oxylus Energy received top honors in the “Best CO₂ Utilisation 2025” Innovation Award, marking significant progress toward sustainable carbon alternatives.
Organized by nova-Institute in partnership with CO₂ Value Europe, the 13th edition of the conference welcomed 230 participants and 45 speakers worldwide. These awards recognized innovative technologies that convert CO₂ into valuable materials and fuels, reducing reliance on fossil-based resources.
1st Prize: UP Catalyst (Estonia)
Awarded for developing a low-energy, electrochemical process to transform CO₂ into battery-grade graphite and carbon nanotubes. Using Molten Salt CO₂ Capture and Electrochemical Conversion (MSCC-EC), the method consumes only a fraction of the energy required by traditional graphite manufacturing, offering scalable, energy-efficient carbon material production.
🔗 upcatalyst.com
2nd Prize: Far Eastern New Century Corp. (Taiwan)
Recognized for their FENC® TopGreen® CO₂-based non-isocyanate polyurethane (NIPU). This innovation replaces hazardous materials like phosgene and isocyanates with CO₂-derived compounds, producing high-performance elastomers for use in textiles, membranes, shoe components, and synthetic leather—cutting carbon emissions by up to 58%.
fenc.com
3rd Prize: Oxylus Energy (USA)
Commended for its Methanol Producing Electrolyser that directly converts industrial CO₂ into green methanol using renewable electricity and water. This enables cost-effective production of carbon-neutral or even carbon-negative methanol, offering a feasible route to decarbonize heavy industries including aviation and maritime transport.
oxylusenergy.com
These trailblazing technologies were voted on by attendees, demonstrating the global interest in scalable CCU solutions. The award is sponsored by Yncoris, with support from nova-Institute and CO₂ Value Europe, which collectively aim to accelerate the transition to a renewable carbon economy. CO₂ Value Europe currently represents over 110 global stakeholders and actively advocates for CCU’s role in achieving climate neutrality.
