Thursday, 21 May 2026 | The Hague, Netherlands
As part of the parallel workshop on “Biogenic CO₂ Capture and Conversion” at EUBCE 2026, researchers from REUSE and COSEC projects came together to showcase complementary innovations that advance sustainable carbon management, carbon capture and utilisation (CCU), and bioenergy integration across Europe.
As the REUSE project progresses beyond the midpoint of its lifetime, the opening presentation by Dr. Athanasios Papadopoulos (Centre for Research & Technology Hellas – CERTH) – REUSE Project Coordinator – provided an overview of the project’s latest technical developments and achievements in intensified enzymatic CO₂ capture and electrocatalytic CO₂ conversion. The presentation highlighted REUSE’s multidisciplinary approach to addressing one of the major challenges in industrial decarbonisation: the efficient capture and valorisation of biogenic CO₂ streams.
A key focus shared from REUSE was the integration of CCU technologies into a single “Direct-to-X” pathway. REUSE combines enzymatic CO₂ absorption using Carbonic Anydrase (CA), intensified gas-liquid contact through Rotating Packed Bed (RPB) systems, zero-gap electrocatalytic cells for converting captured CO₂ into valuable products such as formic acid. This integrated approach aims to significantly reduce the energy demand and equipment footprint associated with conventional CO₂ capture and regeneration process.
Dr. Papadopoulos also showcased REUSE project’s progress in solvent selection and process optimization. Emphasis was placed on understanding the interaction between solvents, enzymes, and electrochemical reduction systems to maximizes CO₂ loading, bicarbonate formation, and conversion efficiency while minimising regeneration energy requirements. We have a dedicated article that dives into the electrochemical conversion aspect of REUSE, highlighting how advanced catalyst engineering and sustainability assessment are shaping the future of scalable CO₂-to-FA technology, featuring Dr. Stella Balomenou.
In addition, recent advancements in modelling and data-driven optimisation were presented. Machine learning tools are being employed to evaluate process parameters and improve CO₂ absorption performance in enzymatic RPB systems, with early results indicating the strong influence of enzyme presence and liquid-phase operating conditions.
Building on this, prof. Jonathan Lee (Newcastle University) shed light on the role of RPB technology in intensified enzymatic CO₂ capture, explaining what RPBs are, why they are increasingly attracting attention in carbon capture applications, and how they can significantly intensify mass transfer and process efficiency.
According to prof. Lee, RPBs dramatically enhance gas-liquid mixing and reduce diffusion limitations, therefore enabling much faster CO₂ absorption rates while substantially decreasing equipment size and footprint (compared to conventional packed columns). This intensified operation is particularly attractive for large-scale industrial carbon capture applications, where conventional absorber columns often require massive infrastructure and high capital investment.
A central focus presented by Prof. Lee was the integration of CA enzymes into the RPB systems, as he explained how the enzyme accelerates the hydration of CO₂ into bicarbonate, which greatly enhances reaction kinetics and improve overall absorption performance. Experimental trials presented during the workshop demonstrated that the presence of CA significantly increases CO₂ absorption rates compared to non-enzymatic systems.
The COSEC project adds great value to the workshop with its broader technological vision for biogenic CO₂ capture and sustainable energy production. Dr. Uma Shankar Sagaram (CyanoCapture) – COSEC Project Coordinator – highlighted the project’s integrated approach to transforming biogenic CO₂ emissions and waste nutrient streams into valuable energy carriers using advanced microalgae-based technology.
A major focus was COSEC’s circularity concept that combines resilient strain selection, adaptive laboratory evolution, intensified CO₂ capture, biomass conversion, and renewable energy production within a single sustainable framework. The project demonstrated promising progress in developing microalgae strains capable of tolerating flue gases and nutrient-rich waste streams while maintaining high lipid productivity for downstream biofuel applications.
Dr. Sagaram also showcased COSEC’s advancements in reactor optimisation and scale-up activities, including outdoor raceway pond validation and mass transfer optimisation for efficient CO₂ fixation. In addition, innovative biomass valorisation routes were presented, including hydrothermal liquefaction for biocrude production, hydrochar development for renewable hydrogen production, and anaerobic digestion for biogas generation.
Providing a deeper technical perspective on COSEC’s biological carbon utilisation pathway, Dr. Gabriel Acien (Universidad de Almería) presented the project’s work on recycling waste nutrients and biogenic CO₂ into energy-rich microalgae biomass. The presentation focused on the optimisation of large-scale microalgae cultivation systems capable of simultaneously capturing CO₂, recovering nutrients from wastewater, and producing sustainable biomass for bioenergy applications.
Dr. Ancien shared significant progress in improving raceway reactor design, fluid dynamic, light utilisation, and mass transfer efficiency to enhance biomass productivity while reducing operational energy demand. Advanced modelling and control strategies were also presented, demonstrating how operational parameters such as water depth, dilution rates, pH control, and CO₂ supply can be optimised to maximise both biomass growth and nutrient recovery efficiencies.
Importantly, the presentation showed that flue gasses can perform as effectively as pure CO₂ sources for microalgae cultivation, reinforcing the feasibility of integrating bioenergy systems with industrial emissions. Additional developments in low-cost harvesting, membrane concentration, dewatering, and drying technologies further illustrated COSEC’s ambition to create scalable and economically viable microalgae-based carbon capture and bioenergy solutions.
Together, REUSE and COSEC demonstrated how complementary CCU pathways can accelerate Europe’s transition toward climate neutrality and a circular bioeconomy. By integrating innovative capture technologies, renewable energy production, resource circularity, and biomass valorisation, both projects strongly contribute to key European ambitions under the Green Deal, the Net-Zero Industry Act, and the EU’s long-term climate and carbon management strategies. Their joint participation at EUBCE 2026 reflected the conference’s overarching focus on biomass innovation, sustainable carbon utilisation, and the development of scalable pathways for decarbonising energy-intensive sectors.
Finally, special thanks are extended to ETA Florence, Dissemination Work Package Leader of the REUSE project and organiser of the European Biomass Conference & Exhibition (EUBCE), for successful organization of this workshop, and for facilitating this valuable platform for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and showcasing innovative European research advancing sustainable carbon management solutions.
For questions related to the presentations of the speakers, readers can contact:
REUSE Project Coordinator: info@reuse-project.eu
COSEC Project Coordinator: uma.sagaram@cyanocapture.com