INITIATE Final Conference Highlights the Path Towards Symbiotic Value Chains Across the Steel and Chemical Industries
On 23 October 2026, the INITIATE project held its Final Conference in Ghent, Belgium, bringing together representatives from industry, academia and research to reflect on six years of collaborative research and innovation. The event marked a key milestone in demonstrating how Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) and industrial symbiosis can connect the steel and chemical sectors, transforming residual steel gases into a value chain for sustainable urea production.
Showcasing project achievements and lessons learned
Throughout the conference, speakers presented INITIATE’s main achievements, technical progress and key lessons learned, highlighting the potential of cross-sector collaboration to support the defossilisation of Europe’s energy-intensive industries.
Project Coordinator Eric van Dijk (TNO) opened the technical discussions by presenting the INITIATE journey, from material development and piloting to the demonstration campaign involving a first-of-a-kind Technology Readiness Level 7 (TRL7) pilot unit.
The conference also explored the project's broader impacts. Giampaolo Manzolini (Politecnico di Milano) and Rosalie van Zelm (Radboud University) presented insights from multiscale modelling, techno-economic assessment and life cycle assessment, examining the technical, economic and environmental dimensions of the proposed value chain.
Looking towards industrial implementation, Mathijs van Heteren (TNO), Akbar Siddiqui (Stamicarbon) and Philip Mulder (Kisuma Chemicals) discussed how INITIATE’s results could support future deployment. Their contributions highlighted the importance of translating research and demonstration results into viable industrial applications.
Learning from European initiatives and fostering collaboration
The programme also featured contributions from related EU-funded projects. Leonie Lücking (GreenSmith Project, TNO) and Carlos Abanades (Calcium Looping Projects, CSIC) shared experiences, challenges and lessons learned, underlining the value of knowledge exchange between European research and innovation initiatives.
A panel discussion entitled “Innovation, Circularity and Industrial Symbiosis for the Future of EU Steel” brought together perspectives from across the industrial and academic landscape. Moderated by Marian Flores Granobles (ArcelorMittal), the discussion featured Marco Guala (Paul Wurth Italia), Valentina Colla (Sant’Anna University) and Akbar Siddiqui (Stamicarbon). Panellists exchanged views on the opportunities and challenges of advancing sustainable steel production through circularity, industrial symbiosis and cross-sector cooperation.
From research results to future industrial deployment
The conference highlighted both the opportunities and the challenges involved in bringing innovative technologies from research and demonstration towards industrial implementation. It also reinforced the importance of collaboration across sectors to advance the defossilisation, competitiveness and resilience of Europe’s energy-intensive industries.
As INITIATE concludes its six-year journey, the project’s results and lessons learned provide a valuable foundation for continued innovation and future industrial deployment. By demonstrating the potential of linking steel and chemical value chains, INITIATE contributes to the broader effort to develop more circular and sustainable industrial processes in Europe.
INITIATE extends its sincere thanks to all speakers, panellists, partners and participants who contributed to the conference and supported the project throughout its journey.