STEROPE: Pioneering Europe’s New Model of Carbon Circularity and Industrial Decarbonization

(Hydrocarbon Processing) STEROPE is a new European project that will demonstrate how advanced carbon capture and utilization (CCU) technologies can transform industrial CO₂ emissions into sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), renewable marine fuels and bio-based chemicals, using green hydrogen and innovative catalytic and membrane systems.

Led by HELLENiQ ENERGY (Greece), this four-year initiative unites 16 European partners from eight countries in a multidisciplinary effort to accelerate industrial decarbonization, strengthen Europe’s technological leadership, and advance its transition towards climate neutrality.

Driving Europe’s industrial transformation. Funded under the Horizon Europe Program, STEROPE (Synergistic Advanced Carbon Capture Technologies for ConvERsion of Industrially Emitted CO₂ to sustainable Production of biofuels and chEmicals) embodies the EU’s vision of an innovative, resilient and sustainable industry.

By converting CO₂ emissions from refineries and other hard-to-abate sectors into renewable fuels, the project provides tangible solutions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions while reinforcing industrial competitiveness, strategic autonomy, and job preservation across Europe.

The initiative directly contributes to the goals of the European Green Deal, the Fit-for-55 package, and the EU Industrial Strategy, supporting the transition towards net-zero emissions by 2050 and reducing dependence on imported fossil energy.

“The energy transition demands commitment and coordinated action” stated George Alexopoulos, Deputy CEO and Group Strategic Planning & New Activities General Manager at HELLENiQ ENERGY. “Through STEROPE, we are transforming CO₂ from a liability into an opportunity—developing technologies that decarbonise operations and create new European value chains in hydrogen and sustainable fuels.”

A new paradigm of carbon circularity. STEROPE will implement a first-of-its-kind TRL 7 demonstration at the Eleusis refinery (Greece)—a fully operational industrial site—where three complementary CCU prototype units (capture, conversion and synthesis) will be designed, constructed, installed and operated under real refinery conditions.

This large-scale integration represents a turning point for industrial CCU deployment in Europe, demonstrating the technical and economic viability of decarbonizing existing assets rather than replacing them.

A digital-twin platform will continuously optimize performance, energy efficiency and environmental impact, maximizing the use of renewable electricity and system flexibility.

By coupling CO₂ valorization with renewable hydrogen and advanced catalytic conversion, STEROPE showcases how Europe can close the carbon loop and redefine the future of its industrial base.

“Bridging industrial R&D with real-world deployment is crucial” noted Dr Spyros Kiartzis, Manager of New Technologies and Alternative Energy Sources at HELLENiQ ENERGY. “STEROPE unites Europe’s top expertise to convert CO₂ emissions into sustainable fuels—an essential step for sectors such as aviation and maritime, where electrification is not yet feasible.”

A European powerhouse of innovation. Coordinated by HELLENiQ ENERGY (Greece), the STEROPE consortium brings together sixteen partners from eight European countries, combining industrial expertise, academic research, and technological innovation. The partnership includes leading institutions such as the Instituto de Catálisis y Petroleoquímica ICP-CSIC (Spain), Centre for Research and Technology Hellas – CERTH (Greece), Centre for Renewable Energy Sources and Saving Foundation – CRES (Greece), Universiteit Gent (Belgium), the Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy of the University of Belgrade (Serbia), and the Università degli Studi di Genova (Italy), alongside industrial and innovation actors including the Spanish Technology and Innovation Platform on Biocircularity – BIOPLAT (Spain), Aegean Airlines (Greece), DANAOS Shipping Company Limited (Cyprus), Maturus OptimI BV (Netherlands), Analisis-DSC Dynamic & Security Computations SL (Spain), Ercros S.A. (Spain), Moravacem (Serbia), Cranfield University (United Kingdom), and the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute (Cyprus).

This multidisciplinary alliance brings together expertise in CCU, hydrogen technologies, catalysis, process engineering, digital optimisation and sustainability assessment, ensuring that the technologies developed are both innovative and commercially viable, while addressing Europe’s environmental, energy and industrial challenges.

Towards Europe’s next generation of clean fuels. At the kick-off meeting held on 30–31 October 2025 in Athens, partners outlined the roadmap for the first implementation phase and joint research priorities.

The event featured the participation and support of Maria Georgiadou, Senior Policy Officer at the European Commission’s DG Research and Innovation (DG RTD), who highlighted STEROPE’s strategic importance as a lighthouse initiative for Europe’s transition to a circular, climate-neutral industrial economy.

Eva Nanaki, Project Coordinator and Innovation Analyst at HELLENiQ ENERGY, closed the event, highlighting the project’s unifying vision: “STEROPE reflects Europe’s shared ambition to transform industry through science and collaboration. By demonstrating CCU technologies directly in an operating refinery, we bridge innovation with reality—turning research into impact, and emissions into resources.” READ MORE