ICO₂NIC Project Kicks Off in Brussels: Transforming CO₂ Waste into Value
The project’s ultimate goal is to make Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) more economically viable, reducing energy consumption, CO₂ emissions, and supporting industrial sustainability
Last week, the ICO₂NIC consortium gathered in Brussels for an engaging two-day kick-off meeting. We explored the project’s objectives, milestones, and the innovative work we’ll be doing across various work packages, including CO₂ capture, electrochemical conversion, and formic acid production.
Launched in January 2025 within the Process4Planet partnership of the Horizon program, the ICO₂NIC project aims to transform industrial CO₂ waste into valuable feedstock through electro and biochemical conversion. By combining advancements in CO₂ capture technology with a new gas diffusion electrochemical cell, the project will convert CO₂ into formic acid, which will then be processed biochemically to produce high-value products for various industries.
Key innovations:
- CO₂ capture using advanced polymer membranes
- Electrochemical conversion of CO₂ into formic acid
- Bioconversion into valuable materials, including sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)
The project’s ultimate goal is to make Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) more economically viable, reducing energy consumption, CO₂ emissions, and supporting industrial sustainability.
The ICO₂NIC consortium includes 11 partners across the CCU value chain: SINTEF, Avantium, Tüpraş, Cool Planet Technologies, b.fab GmbH, Procter & Gamble, IDENER.AI, NoPalm Ingredients, Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant, TNO, and CO2 Value Europe.
A special thanks to all partners for their valuable insights and to InQbet Accelerator, P&G’s open innovation accelerator, for hosting this first meeting. We look forward to the journey ahead as we collaborate toward a more sustainable future!
Source: CO2 Value Europe, press release, 2025-02-05.