‘Best CO₂ Utilization 2026’ Innovation Award Secured by DAC, e-Methanol, CO2 Electrolysis Technologies

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The ‘Best CO₂ Utilization 2026’ innovation award was awarded to three pioneering CCU and Power-to-X technologies at the CO₂-based Fuels and Chemicals Conference 2026 which was held in Cologne, Germany.

Hürth/Germany – On 28-29 April, 2026, the CO₂-based Fuels and Chemicals Conference 2026 brought together nearly 170 participants to discuss the latest developments in Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) and Power-to-X technologies. A key highlight of the event was the presentation of the “Best CO₂ Utilization 2026” innovation award, recognizing outstanding technological advances in the field.

The award, co-organized by nova-Institut and CO₂ Value Europe and sponsored by Yncoris, honors innovative solutions that convert CO₂ into fuels, chemical building blocks and materials.

This year’s winners – Rapco2 (Italy), Aerleum (France), and Ocochem (USA) – were chosen by a live audience vote from six nominated innovations. Their technologies showcase complementary pathways for industrial CO₂ utilization, spanning Direct Air Capture with integrated conversion to e-fuels, scalable e-methanol production, and electrochemical processes that produce carbon-negative intermediates such as formate and ethylene.

Three winning technologies converting CO₂ into fuels and chemicals

Collectively, the six nominees reflect the rapid maturation of CO₂ utilization, highlighting solutions that range from distributed capture technologies to industrial-scale fuel synthesis and advanced electrochemical conversion. The three winning innovations selected by the audience demonstrated that CCU progresses in a particularly impressive way:

First Place: Rapco2 (IT) – Blueleaf and eJungle

Rapco2 brings two indoor Direct Air Capture (DAC) products to the market: the first is Blueleaf, is equivalent to one hectare of forest and is capable of capturing the CO2 produced in small shops or offices. The second, eJungle, is a sort of “jungle 2.0”, equivalent to 80 Blueleaf combined, which not only captures CO₂ at a larger scale but also converts it into an intrinsically safe chemical product, sodium acetate. The CO2 captured by Blueleaf and eJungle is converted into acetate through a patented bioreactor, which is able to regenerate the DAC material at very low energy demand. The acetate collected is then processed in the main plant, which goes through a ketonization-hydrogenation step to isopropyl alcohol (IPA). IPA is a safe, non-toxic efuel with a higher calorific value than others (e.g., methanol) and with greater potential for applications.

Second Place: Aerleum (FR) – Direct Carbon Utilization Technology

Aerleum’s Direct Carbon Utilization technology enables the direct conversion of atmospheric industrial CO2 into valuable commodities such as fuels and chemicals. This integrated and patented technology is designed for scalable industrial deployment, delivering carbon-neutral products at competitive cost.

The first application is e-methanol, a versatile low-carbon fuel and chemical feedstock that can be used primarily in aviation (converted into jet fuel) and in maritime shipping (as a drop-in fuel). Beyond mobility, e-methanol also provides a sustainable building block for the chemical industry, enabling the production of everyday goods with a lower carbon footprint. By targeting hard-to-abate sectors, Aerleum offers a practical, scalable, and high-impact pathway to decarbonization.

Third Place: Ocochem (US) – Ocochem Flux Electrolyzer 400

The Ocochem Carbon Flux Electrolyzer (CFX) 400 electrocatalytically regenerates captured carbon dioxide and water into sustainable formic acid or potassium formate. The CFX 400 employs a stack of 4 large industrial-scale CO2 electrolyzer cells using the company’s in-house fabricated Axial Flux Gas Diffusion Electrodes, each measuring 15,000 cm2, over 6 times larger than previously reported. The modular factory-fabricated system was deployed and commissioned in 6 weeks, produces 60 tons/year, operates at 85 % Faradaic Efficiency with a high current density (250 mA/cm2) and has a demonstrated Axial Flux Gas Diffusion Electrode durability of over 1,200 hours. The first commercially available carbon-negative formates began shipping in October 2025 to 5 different customers.

The three additional nominees included Icodos from Germany, producing e-methanol; Cert Systems from Canada, with an electrochemical pathway to ethylene production; and Cynio from Germany, producing CO2-based isocyanates.

Nova-Institut contributes expertise in renewable carbon cycles and supports the defossilization of the chemicals and material industry. CO₂ Value Europe connects stakeholders across the CCU value chain, and Yncoris enables industrial implementation through infrastructure, engineering support and operational expertise.

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