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 decarbonize 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 optimiseoptimize performance, energy efficiency and environmental impact, maximisingmaximizing 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.
Scientific excellence with societal impact
STEROPE will:
• Demonstrate the conversion of industrial CO₂ emissions into SAF and renewable marine fuels.
• Design, build and operate a TRL 7 demonstration plant fully integrated into a working refinery.
• Advance circular economy and industrial symbiosis principles for resource efficiency.
• Conduct LCA, TEA and social-impact assessments to ensure sustainability and scalability.
• Support regulatory validation of SAF and marine fuels for real market applications.
Towards Europe’s next generation of clean fuels
At the kick-off meeting held on October 30-31, 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.”
