Six Companies Nominated for Best CO2 Utilisation 2026 Innovation Award

Six companies have been shortlisted for the “Best CO2 Utilisation 2026” Innovation Award, which will be presented during the CO2-based Fuels and Chemicals Conference 2026. The event will take place in Cologne, Germany, and online on 28–29 April 2026, highlighting technologies that convert CO₂ into fuels, chemicals, and industrial materials.

The CO2-based Fuels and Chemicals Conference 2026 will be held in Cologne, Germany, and online on 28–29 April 2026, presenting technologies designed to convert CO₂ into fuels, chemical intermediates, and industrial materials. Six companies developing different approaches to carbon utilisation have been nominated for the “Best CO2 Utilisation 2026” Innovation Award.

Previous nominees and award winners have presented applications involving CO₂-derived products, including battery-grade carbon materials, carbon nanotubes, CO₂-based polyurethanes for textiles and footwear, and electrochemical pathways for methanol fuels. The 2026 nominees introduce additional methods for converting CO₂ into industrial products.

The award recognises technological and material developments related to CO₂ utilisation and is jointly organised by nova Institute and CO2 Value Europe, with Yncoris serving as sponsor. The six nominated companies will present their technologies during the conference, and attendees will select three winners through a live vote.

Technologies Converting CO₂ into Fuels and Chemicals

The nominated projects include multiple technological approaches, such as electrochemical conversion, integrated capture-and-synthesis systems, and direct air capture linked with chemical production.

Aerleum (FR) – Direct Carbon Utilisation Technology
Aerleum has developed Direct Carbon Utilisation technology that converts atmospheric or industrial CO₂ into fuels and chemicals. The technology is designed for industrial deployment and produces carbon-neutral commodities. The first application focuses on e-methanol, which can be used in aviation after conversion into jet fuel and in maritime shipping as a drop-in fuel. E-methanol also serves as a chemical feedstock for producing various industrial goods.

CERT Systems (CA) – Air to Chemicals
CERT Systems produces low-carbon materials and fuels such as Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) using its Air-to-Chemicals process. The system captures atmospheric CO₂ and converts it into ethylene within an integrated process. By converting captured CO₂ directly in solution, the process eliminates the regeneration step required to obtain pure CO₂. The resulting ethylene can be used in plastics manufacturing and as an intermediate for producing SAF and eSAF.

Cynio (DE) – Specialty Isocyanates from CO₂
Cynio, a spin-off from TU Bergakademie Freiberg, has developed a CO₂-based process for producing specialised isocyanates. The technology replaces phosgene with CO₂ in the production process and aims to enable more flexible and sustainable manufacturing of isocyanates. These materials are used in applications including adhesives, coatings, and pharmaceuticals.

ICODOS (DE) – Integrated CO₂ Capture and Methanol Production
ICODOS has developed a process for e-methanol production combining CO₂ capture and methanol synthesis. The system integrates three components: a hybrid process merging capture and synthesis that reduces energy demand by more than 70% compared to current alternatives and achieves >95% CO₂ utilisation, a dynamic operating system allowing the use of intermittent renewable electricity, and a modular plant design with prefabricated transportable units that can reduce project implementation time to less than three years.

OCOchem (US) – OCOchem FluX Electrolyzer 400
OCOchem’s Carbon FluX Electrolyzer (CFX) 400 converts captured carbon dioxide and water into formic acid or potassium formate through an electrocatalytic process. The system contains four industrial-scale CO₂ electrolyzer cells with Axial FluX Gas Diffusion Electrodes measuring 15,000 cm² each. The modular system was deployed in 6 weeks, produces 60 tons per year, operates at 85% Faradaic Efficiency with a current density of 250 mA/cm², and has demonstrated electrode durability of more than 1200 hours. Carbon-negative formates produced by the system began shipping in October 2025 to five customers.

RAPCO2 (IT) – BlueLeaf and eJungle
RAPCO2 has introduced two indoor Direct Air Capture systems: BlueLeaf, designed for small shops or offices with CO₂ capture capacity equivalent to one hectare of forest, and eJungle, which combines 80 BlueLeaf units and produces sodium acetate as a chemical output. Captured CO₂ is converted into acetate through a patented bioreactor with low energy demand. The acetate can later be processed into isopropyl alcohol (IPA) through ketonisation-hydrogenation steps. IPA is described as a non-toxic eFuel with a higher calorific value compared to fuels such as methanol.

Conference Programme

The CO2-based Fuels and Chemicals Conference 2026 programme will examine the transition of Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) technologies from pilot projects to industrial applications. Topics include integrated CO₂ capture and conversion systems, business models supporting investment, regulatory frameworks affecting project development, renewable hydrogen availability, CO₂ sourcing—particularly biogenic streams—and certification methods for CO₂-based products.

The conference brings together more than 230 international experts from industry, research, and policy each year for presentations, poster sessions, and networking across the CCU and Power-to-X value chain.

The 2026 conference is supported by event sponsors GIG Karasek and Holcim. Mona Neubaur, Minister for Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, serves as patron of the conference.