Save the Date – 4th NEFI Conference 2026

The circular economy holds significant potential in the context of industrial transformation. This involves not only recycling or reusing materials but also redesigning products, processes, and value chains to increase resource efficiency, resilience, and strategic autonomy. A lifecycle-oriented approach, including design for circularity and Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD), is becoming increasingly relevant for industrial innovation. Besides the reuse and utilisation of waste as a resource, the recycling of plastics, batteries and further energy technology components, as well as new circular business models and regulatory frameworks, are key topics for the improvement of Circular Economy and can be addressed within this topic. Furthermore, circular strategies contribute to the development of new value chains, reduced dependency on primary raw material imports, and the diversification of high-value industrial products.

Carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) encompass all key steps in the CO₂ value chain and forms the technological basis for the targeted capture, reuse, or permanent sequestration of CO₂, especially in hard-to-abate sectors. A focus of research is the expansion of transport and storage infrastructures for CO₂, including cross-border infrastructure planning and system integration. Increasing energy and process efficiency across the entire CCUS value chain, as well as the development of CO₂-based value creation pathways and industrial carbon management strategies, are key research priorities to combine ecological effectiveness, industrial competitiveness, and economic viability.

CO₂-neutral gases and hydrogen constitute key thematic priorities for research and development in the industrial energy transition. Key research areas include the production, system integration, scaling, and industrial application of renewable hydrogen and other climate-neutral gases, as well as the development of diversified gas portfolios for different industrial use cases. Further research is required to support the expansion and optimisation of transport, storage, and distribution infrastructure, ensuring system reliability, flexibility, and cross-border interoperability. Another major focus lies in sector coupling through hydrogen, including storage integration and the coupling of energy, industry, mobility, and heating sectors. In addition, hydrogen-based value chains, import strategies, resilience of supply, and certification systems (e.g. Guarantees of Origin) represent essential development areas, alongside the evolving regulatory framework.

The transformation of industrial energy systems defines several key research fields. A central priority is the integration of renewable energy into industrial processes, requiring the adaptation of production systems, hybrid energy supply concepts, and smart energy management. This is closely linked to the flexibilisation of energy supply structures, storage solutions, and digital control systems to enhance resilience, efficiency, and operational reliability. Another important field is the electrification of industrial process heat, including the application of heat pumps, power-to-heat technologies, and furnace electrification. Advances in power electronics, grid integration, and high-efficiency conversion technologies, as well as the redesign of production processes towards electrified and low-carbon value creation, represent crucial research areas. Electrification also enables new product pathways and strengthens domestic industrial value chains based on renewable energy.

Innovations for flexibilisation are crucial for the transformation of industry and the integration of fluctuating renewable energy sources. A key aspect is the identification and quantification of feasible demand-side flexibility potentials, ranging from the overall industrial system level down to individual processes, supported by data-driven energy management and digitalisation. This requires advanced forecasting, optimisation and real-time decision-support methods. Furthermore, research focuses on adaptive control mechanisms, and the integration of storage technologies and multi-energy carrier systems. Additional research priorities include market- or grid-oriented flexibility provision, participation in energy markets, and the role of flexibility in resilient and competitive industrial value chains. Techno-economic assessment, system modelling, and strategic planning remain essential components of research in the field of industrial flexibilisation.

The primary focus of industrial symbiosis research lies in the identification and quantification of energy- and material-based synergy potentials between industrial actors. This includes analysing opportunities for cross-sectoral resource exchange, waste heat utilisation, by-product valorisation, and shared infrastructure. A further topic is the balance between ecological and economic benefits, ensuring that symbiotic solutions are both environmentally effective and economically viable in real industrial contexts. Additionally, the development of regional and cross-sectoral industrial ecosystems, are key research topics. Industrial symbiosis also contributes to the creation of new resilient value chains, reduced supply chain vulnerabilities, and diversified industrial production structures. The application of AI-assisted data collection, digital platforms, and advanced analysis methods plays a crucial role in systematically identifying, evaluating, and scaling industrial symbiosis opportunities.

To realise industrial climate neutrality, it is critical to address non-technological domains, including regulatory, legal, and policy frameworks that enable and accelerate industrial transformation in a European and international context. This topic encompasses energy market design, infrastructure policy, and governance frameworks relevant to industrial transformation, as well as recent developments in carbon management, hydrogen policy, and industrial decarbonisation strategies. Additionally, this field includes innovative financing mechanisms, funding instruments, and business models that facilitate the deployment, scaling, and market diffusion of net-zero technologies in industry. Further key aspects include regulatory support for new value chains, circular business models, strategic industrial policy, and framework conditions that strengthen industrial competitiveness, resilience, and sustainable value creation in Austria and Europe.