CO₂ Value Europe brought together more than 100 representatives from industry, research, academia and policy in Berlin for the 10^th CO₂ Value Europe Days, marking a decade of Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) deployment and exploring the priorities for its next phase of development.

Hosted by member Ucaneo, the two-day event focused on the key challenges and opportunities for scaling CCU across Europe, from industrial deployment and emerging CO₂ markets to the policy frameworks needed to enable investment and implementation.

Discussions highlighted the importance of translating technological innovation into industrial-scale projects, connecting CO₂ supply with demand, and developing the infrastructure and regulatory conditions required for viable CO₂ value chains.

Participants explored how different CCU pathways are advancing towards commercial deployment and examined the role of CO₂ as a commodity in connecting producers, infrastructure providers and end-users. The discussions underscored the need for coordinated action across the value chain to turn CCU’s potential into practical solutions for industrial decarbonisation.

A highlight of the event was a visit to Ucaneo’s first industrial Direct Air Capture (DAC) facility in Berlin. Built in just 18 months, the facility is Germany’s largest electrochemical DAC installation, with a capacity of 150 tonnes of CO₂ per year.

The visit gave participants first-hand insight into the progress and challenges of moving DAC technology toward industrial deployment, showing how innovation is moving from development to operational facilities. Participants also had the opportunity to discover Ucaneo’s vision for the CO₂ Store of the Future.

CO₂ Value Europe presented an update to its quantitative assessment of CCU’s contribution to EU climate neutrality by 2050. The updated modelling expands the analysis to include CO₂ mineralisation in construction, biogenic CO₂ sources, carbon monoxide as a feedstock, cost modelling and a first Member State case study for the Netherlands.

This assessment provides an updated evidence base for understanding CCU’s potential contribution to European climate objectives. Further methodological and sector-specific publications are planned for 2026.

Read the updated quantitative assessment.

The second day focused on the evolving European policy landscape and its implications for CCU deployment. Discussions examined recent policy developments, including the proposed revisions to the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), and brought together EU, national and regional perspectives on how regulatory frameworks can support the development of CO₂ value chains.

The exchanges highlighted the importance of policy coherence across governance levels to provide the clarity and enabling conditions needed for investment and deployment.

The 10th CO₂ Value Europe Days concluded with the election of a new Board of Directors, bringing together representatives from across the association’s membership, including industry and research and technology organisations.

The new Board will guide CO₂ Value Europe’s work in the coming term, building on a decade of collaboration and progress across the CCU community. The association also thanked outgoing Board members for their contributions to its development.

Meet the new Board of Directors.

Looking ahead

As CO₂ Value Europe celebrates ten years of progress, the discussions in Berlin reinforced a clear priority for the decade ahead: accelerating the transition from technological potential to commercially viable, industrial-scale CCU deployment.

Achieving this will require continued collaboration across industry, research and policy, alongside investment in technologies, infrastructure and markets that enable CO₂ to become a valuable resource in a climate-neutral European economy.

CO₂ Value Europe thanks Ucaneo for hosting the anniversary edition and all participants for contributing to the exchange and collaboration that will help shape the future of the circular carbon economy.

Watch our wrap-up video and get a glimpse of our 10^th anniversary edition in Berlin!