The event « Sustainability Meets Scalability, » held on March 26-27, 2025, at the European Commission in Brussels, gathered over 200 participants from across academia, industry, startups, and policy circles. Spearheaded by the European Innovation Council in partnership with imec, the SOLDAC and S2B research projects, and the European large-scale initiative SUNERGY, this pivotal gathering aimed to critically assess and propel the development of sustainable fuels, chemicals, and materials derived from renewable resources.
As climate change mitigation calls for urgent action, the event focused on transcending mere technological buzzwords to ensure that proposed solutions are both scalable and truly sustainable. Designed to tackle the challenges and leverage the opportunities within renewable hydrogen, fuels, and chemicals, the event encouraged candid discussions on current strategies and future directions.
Over two dynamic days, participants delved into diverse topics, ranging from hydrogen production to the carbon economy, with the objective of defining concrete outcomes and setting attainable milestones. Through a blend of plenary sessions, interactive formats, and a comprehensive road mapping exercise, stakeholders aligned on the societal needs, technological breakthroughs, and political frameworks essential for driving a truly sustainable future.
Key highlights included gaining a comprehensive overview of the current state-of-play in renewable technologies, exchanging insights with leading academics, entrepreneurs, industrial leaders, policymakers, and investors, and contributing to the development of an EU Technological Roadmap on Renewable Fuels and Chemicals. Ample networking opportunities facilitated future collaborations.
The event aimed to achieve a reality check by matching research and innovation realities with industrial needs and policy ambitions. Participants left with a clear understanding of forthcoming technological milestones, guided innovation towards sustainable configurations, and strengthened the collaborative ecosystem around renewable energy solutions.
Topics addressed encompassed transitioning societal needs to technological innovation, evaluating current technical performances of solar-to-X devices, envisioning the devices of tomorrow and discussing the importance of techno-sustainability assessments early in the innovation journey. Key enablers like standards, common metrics, and fair benchmarking for upscaling technology were also explored.
Participants showcased European innovation through project pitches, offering tangible insights into the technological advancements propelling the renewable energy sector forward.
