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Power-to-X
for a Sustainable Future
We are pleased to announce the ECOMATES Final Conference, "Power-to-X for a Sustainable Future", which will take place from 6th to 10th July 2026 at the University of Iceland in Reykjavík (Iceland).
Hosted by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network ECOMATES, the conference will gather researchers, industry representatives, and stakeholders to discuss the latest advances in Power-to-X technologies, encompassing catalyst discovery, operando characterization, device and reactor design, process integration, and sustainability assessment.
The conference include contributions on topics such as:
- Green Hydrogen, CO₂RR, and Power-to-N: catalysts, processes, and scale-up for fuels and chemicals
- CO₂ capture strategies
- Catalyst innovation: ab initio & ML-driven design
- Operando and advanced characterisation
- System-level simulations for reactor/process optimisation
- Membranes, MEAs, and process scale-up
- Renewable energy integration
- Techno-economic and life-cycle assessments
- Industry and policy perspectives on Power-to-X
Conference Programme
Monday, July 6th
Tuesday, July 7th
Wednesday, July 8th
Thursday, July 9th
POSTER SESSION
Friday, July 10th
Monday, July 6th
| 08:00-08:45 | CONFERENCE REGISTRATION | |
| 08:45-09:00 | WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION | |
| SESSION 1: Nitrogen valorization | ||
| Chairperson presiding over the session: Alessia Bardazzi, ECOMATES DC | ||
| TIME | SPEAKER | TALK TITLE |
| 09:00-09:30 | Ib Chorkendorff Technical University of Denmark (INVITED SPEAKER) | Electrifying the Ammonia Synthesis |
| 09:30-10:00 | Egill Skúlason ATMONIA (INVITED SPEAKER) | Electrochemical Nitrogen Reduction to Ammonia: From Atomistic Design to Commercialization |
| 10:00-10:20 | Sara Garcia Ballesteros Politecnico di Torino | Electrochemical Ammonia Production from Real Water Matrices: Challenges and Process Strategie |
| 10:20-10:40 | Diwakar Singh University of Duisburg-Essen | Electrochemically formed Single-Atom Centers of MXenes for Selective Electrochemical Reduction of Dinitrogen to Ammonia |
| 10:40 – 11:15 |
COFFEE BREAK
| |
| SESSION 2: Photoelectrocalalytic processes | ||
| Chairperson presiding over the session: Lovelle Rhoy Manpatilan, ECOMATES DC | ||
| TIME | SPEAKER | TALK TITLE |
| 11:15-11:45 | Sixto Gimenez Jaume I University (INVITED SPEAKER) | Photoelectrocatalytic Materials and Devices for Sustainable Solar Fuels and Chemicals |
| 11:45-12:05 | Byungha Shin KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) | Tandem Photoelectrochemical Devices for Unassisted Solar Fuel Generation |
| 12:05-12:25 | Mengjiao Wang Politecnico di Torino | Engineering Photoactive Semiconductors for Photoelectrocatalytic Oxygen Evolution |
| 12:25 – 14:00 |
LUNCH BREAK
| |
| SESSION 3: CO₂ capture and valorization I | ||
| Chairperson presiding over the session: Prof. Juquin Zheng, ECOMATES Team member | ||
| TIME | SPEAKER | TALK TITLE |
| 14:00-14:30 | Michael Zaworotko University of Limerick (INVITED SPEAKER) | Crystal Engineering: Then, Now and Next |
| 14:30-14:50 | Silvia Di Martino Italian Institute of Technology | Electrochemical Capture of CO₂ through Active Redox Carriers in pH-swing Electrolyzer |
| 14:50-15:10 | Marta Posadzy Wrocław University of Science and Technology | Functionalised Carbon Materials as Novel Electrocatalysts for CO₂ Conversion |
| 15:10-15:30 | Alejandro Cañete Arché Trinity College Dublin (ECOMATES FELLOW) | Advancing Catalyst Design for CO₂ Electroreduction: The Effective Cutoff Radius and Bimetallic Synergies |
| 15:30-16:00 |
COFFEE BREAK
| |
| SESSION 4: Atomistic simulations of surface and interfacial processes | ||
| Chairperson presiding over the session: Alejandro Cañete Archè, ECOMATES DC | ||
| TIME | SPEAKER | TALK TITLE |
| 16:00-16:30 | Stephan Steinman École Normale Supérieure de Lyon (INVITED SPEAKER) | From method development to oxidations and reductions via computational heterogeneous electrocatalysis |
| 16:30-17:00 | Katharina Doblhoff-Dier University of Leiden (INVITED SPEAKER) | Tracking Down Electric Double Layer Properties |
| 17:00-17:20 | Michele Re Fiorentin Politecnico di Torino | Data-Efficient Constant-Potential Machine Learning Force Fields for Electrified Metal/Water Interfaces |
Tuesday, July 7th
| SESSION 1: CO₂ Valorization towards C1 products | ||
| Chairperson presiding over the session: Alessia Bardazzi, ECOMATES DC | ||
| TIME | SPEAKER | TALK TITLE |
| 09:00-09:30 | Mohamed Nawfal Ghazzal University Paris Saclay (INVITED SPEAKER) | Breakthroughs in selective electrocatalysis and integrated systems for direct CO₂-to-methanol conversion |
| 09:30-09:50 | Sara Verhovez Politecnico di Torino | Scalable Electrochemical CO₂ Conversion to Methanefor Biogas Upgrading |
| 09:50-10:10 | Chrysanthi Gkili University of Montpellier (ECOMATES FELLOW) | Investigating the Impact of Ionomer Coverage on Ag-based GDE Stability and Performance in CO₂ Reduction via Operando Multiscale Characterization |
| 10:10-10:30 | Mario Gallone Politecnico di Torino | CeO₂ as support for electrocatalytic reduction of CO₂ to CH₄: synthesis, characterization, and performance optimization |
| 10:30-11:00 | COFFEE BREAK | |
| SESSION 2: Electrocatacatalysts operando characterization | ||
| Chairperson presiding over the session: Gkili Chrysanthi, ECOMATES DC | ||
| TIME | SPEAKER | TALK TITLE |
| 11:00-11:45 | Jordi Arbiol Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (INVITED SPEAKER) | From in-Situ/Operando Multimodal and Multiscale-length X-ray and Electron Microscopy to Automated Atomic Scale Data Analysis and Modelling |
| 11:30-11:50 | Angelica Chiodoni Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia | Operando correlative lab-scale characterizations of electrocatalysts |
| 11:50-12:10 | Alessia Bardazzi European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ECOMATES FELLOW) | Operando X-ray absorption Spectroscopy membrane Electrode Assemblies for CO₂ Electroreduction |
| 12:10-12:30 | Mathias Hommelgaard Technical University of Denmark | Local potential gradients as a critical pitfall in operando electrochemical X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy |
| 12:30 – 14:00 | LUNCH BREAK | |
| SESSION 3: AEM based water electrolysis | ||
| Chairperson presiding over the session: Carmelo Parata, ECOMATES DC | ||
| TIME | SPEAKER | TALK TITLE |
| 14:00-14:30 | Jens Oluf Jensen Technical Unvesity of Denmark/DTU Energy (INVITED SPEAKER) | Ion-solvating membranes: the third way for alkaline water electrolysis |
| 14:30-14:50 | Roxy Lee Technical University of Denmark | Operando Investigations into Nickel-based Electrocatalysts for Green Hydrogen Production in Alkaline Anion Exchange Membrane Environment |
| 14:50-15:10 | Varun Donnakatte Neelalochana Foundazione Bruno Kessler | From Interface to Transport: Design Rules for High-Rate AEM Water Electrolysis Cathodes |
| 15:10-15:30 | Kai Exner University of Duisburg-Essen | Computational Surface Models for Oxygen Evolution Reaction |
| 15:30-16:00 | COFFEE BREAK | |
| SESSION 4: Formate/Formic acid from CO₂ RR | ||
| Chairperson presiding over the session: Magnus A. Hilduberg Christiansen, ECOMATES DC | ||
| TIME | SPEAKER | TALK TITLE |
| 16:00-16:20 | Giridhar Prasad Baskaran University of Limerick | Effects of PdCu Subsurface Hydrides: Tuning Selectivity in Electrochemical CO₂ to Formate Reduction |
| 16:20-16:40 | Olivia Manatschal Eth Zurich | Beyond Binding: How Ionomer-Defined Microenvironments Direct Selectivity in Acidic CO₂ Reduction to Formic Acid |
| 16:40-17:00 | Avni Guruji VITO / Politecnico di Torino (ECOMATES FELLOW) | Process-Level Engineering of Three-Compartment Electrolyser for Continuous CO₂ to Formic Acid Conversion |
| 17:00-17:20 | Camilo Peralta Politecnico di Torino (ECOMATES FELLOW) | Recirculating CO₂ losses in a three-compartment electrolyzer for enhanced CO₂ utilization and high-concentration formic acid production |
| 17:20-17:40 | Guillermo Diaz-Sainz University of Cantabria | Sustainable Formic Acid Production from CO₂ via Electrochemical Reduction in the Cement Industry |
Wednesday, July 8th
DAY TRIP: EXPLORING THE ‘GOLDEN CIRCLE’
The Golden Circle is Iceland’s most famous scenic route, showcasing the country’s main natural wonders: Þingvellir National Park, the Geysir geothermal area and Gullfoss waterfall. This is typically a full-day excursion, offering spectacular volcanic landscapes, tectonic plates and geysers.
We highly recommend taking part to discover some of the most extraordinary geological wonders Iceland has to offer!
Thursday, July 9th
| SESSION 1: Alkaline and solid oxide water electrolysis | ||
| Chairperson presiding over the session: Gkili Chrysanthi, ECOMATES DC | ||
| TIME | SPEAKER | TALK TITLE |
| 09:00-09:30 | Michail Tsampas DIFFER (INVITED SPEAKER) | From Catalyst-Centric Design to Integrated Electrodes: The Role of Nanostructured Porous Transport Layers in AEMWE |
| 09:30-09:50 | Andrea Russo Technical University of Denmark | Novel 3D Fibrous Electrodes for Alkaline Water Electrolysis |
| 09:50-10:10 | Massimiliano Lo Faro CNR | Solid Oxide Electrochemical Cells at CNR‑ITAE: Approaches for High‑Efficiency Power Generation and Green H₂ Production at Intermediate Temperatures |
| 10:10-10:30 | Julie Villanova European Synchrotron Radiation Facility | Improving Solid Oxide Cell long term performances using synchrotron X-ray nano-analysis |
| 10:30-11:00 |
COFFEE BREAK
| |
| SESSION 2: C/N and biogenic source valorization | ||
| Chairperson presiding over the session: Wei Wang, ECOMATES DC | ||
| TIME | SPEAKER | TALK TITLE |
| 11:00-11:30 | Viktoria Golovanova ICFO (INVITED SPEAKER) | Electrochemical urea synthesis: from reaction design to reliable evaluation |
| 11:30-11:50 | Lei Tan Technische Universität Berlin | Accurate Urea Quantification in Electrocatalytic CO₂ and NO₃ Co-reduction |
| 11:50-12:10 | Divya Bhutani Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg | Biomass Valorization: Insights based on Lignin Model Compounds |
| 12:10-12:30 | Jose Antonio Abarca University of Cantabria | Direct conversion of CO₂ to CH for electrochemical biogas upgrading |
| 12:30 – 14:00 |
LUNCH BREAK
| |
| SESSION 3: CO₂ valorization towards multi carbon products | ||
| Chairperson presiding over the session: Camilo Peralta, ECOMATES DC | ||
| TIME | SPEAKER | TALK TITLE |
| 14:00-14:20 | Huang Lan Italian Institute of Technology (ECOMATES FELLOW) | Cu-based bimetallic catalyst for Enhanced CO₂ Electroreduction to C₂ |
| 14:20-14:40 | Wei Wang Politecnico di Torino (ECOMATES FELLOW) | Identifying Optimal Cu-Based Bimetallic Surfaces for CO₂ Reductionto Multicarbon Products via Constant Potential DFT |
| 14:50-15:10 | Asier Grijalvo Rodriguez Vito / Ghent University | Tuning Cu Content in CuAl Layered Double Hydroxides for Selective CO₂ Electroreduction to C₂ |
| 15:10-15:30 | Magnus A. Hilduberg Christiansen University of Iceland (ECOMATES FELLOW) | Calculations of CO₂ electroreduction at flat and stepped surfaces with and without substitutional impurities |
| 15:30-16:00 |
COFFEE BREAK
| |
| 16:00-16:20 | Simone Dussi TNO | Towards industrial ethylene electrosynthesis: a modelling perspective |
| 16:20 – 16:40 | Blaž Tomc National Institute of Chemistry, Slovenia
| Pulse-Controlled Dynamically Stable Copper ProlongsEthylene Selective CO₂ Reduction |
| SESSION 4: Hydrogen fuel cells | ||
| Chairperson presiding over the session: Huang Lan, ECOMATES DC | ||
| TIME | SPEAKER | TALK TITLE |
| 16:40-17:10 | Vasiliki Zogali Advent Technologies (INVITED SPEAKER) | MEAsureD Project: Advancing High-Temperature PEM Fuel Cells for Heavy-Duty Applications |
| 17:10-17:30 | Giulia Gianola Italian Institute of Technology | Minimizing platinum use while maximizing ORR performance: low-Pt-decorated FeNC electrocatalysts for fuel cells |
| 17:30 – 19:30 | POSTER SESSION | |
POSTER SESSION
POSTER N. | AUTHOR | TITLE |
1 | Sajid Siyal Dawood University of Engineering and Technology | Synthesis and Characterization of All solid-StateComposite Electrolyte Using UV Curing method for metal batteries(Energy Storage Devices) |
2 | Luca Yannik Reiter FiW at RWTH Aachen e.V | Dynamic simulation of anintegrated synthesis plant for the production of renewable methanol from biogason demonstration scale |
3 | Mansi Saich Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig | Copper-based catalystspose challengesfor upscaling electrochemical CO₂ Reduction |
4 | Juquin Zeng Italian Institute of Technology | Advances on d-and p-block Metal Nanostructures forEfficientElectrochemical CO2 Reduction |
5 | Mikkel Rykær Kraglund Technical University of Denmark | Addressing asymmetric pore structures in diaphragms for alkaline electrolysis |
6 | Paolo Gardiol Italian Institute of Technology | Back Diffusion of OH-Ions During Hydrogen Production in Half Seawater Electrolyzer |
7 | Michaela Castellino Politecnico di Torino | Interface Engineering of Cu/ZnO/Al₂O₃ Catalysts for Selective CO₂ Hydrogenation to Methanol |
8 | Shiming Chen China Medical University | Hydroxyl-radical-mediated direct air-to-nitric acid under ambient conditions: electro-Fenton cathodic conversion and ultrasonic-assisted photocatalysis |
9 | Angel Irabien University of Cantabria | Analysis of CO2 concentration effects on electroreduction to formate: a multiphysics simulation study |
10 | Phan Thu Pham Anh Technical University of Denmark | Molybdate Passivation Enables Suppressed Self-Discharge in Raney Ni-Mo Alkaline Electrolyzers |
11 | Daniele Sassone Italian Institute of Technology | A deeper understanding of flooding dynamics in gas diffusion electrodes for CO2 electrolyzer: how interfacial pressure shapes gas–liquid stability |
12 | Mario Corbalan Ruhr University Bochum | Coupling efficientCO2-Reduction with reclaimed nutrients: From exhaust gases and wastewater to e-fuels and high-quality chemicals |
13 | Siva Balaganesh Ravi Sankar University of Trento/Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK) | Ir/TiN Catalyst-Coated Substrates Enabling Durable Acidic OER at Low Iridium Loading for PEM Water Electrolysis |
14 | Hridya Nedumkulam Charles university, Czech Republic | Activity and Durability of Ir–Ru Bimetallic OER Catalysts: Electrochemical and Operando Structural Analysis |
15 | Felicia Di Costola Politecnico di Torino | Modulating Copper Surface Properties via Cu–Al Bimetallic Design |
16 | Yria Julietmme Aguirre Rivera Universidad de Guanajuato | Activated Carbon–Based methodfor CO₂ Capture |
17 | Katarzyna Bejtka Italian Institute of Technology / Politecnico di Torino | Reliable Electrochemistry in OperandoLiquid-Phase TEM through Electrode Nanostructuring and Multiphysics Modelling |
18 | Matteo Agliuzza Italian Institute of Technology | Mediator-Driven Electrochemical CO₂ Capture via OH⁻Release in a Zero-Gap Cell: A COMSOL Modeling Study |
19 | Vasiliki Zogali Advent Technologies | MEAsureD project: Scaling up HT-PEM Fuel Cells for Heavy-Duty Transport Applications |
20 | Vasyl Marchuk European Synchrotron Radiation Facility | Change of Ligand Environment of Single Atoms and Clusters of Pt on ZSM-5 during Selective Ammonia Oxidation Studied with HERFD XAS |
Friday, July 10th
| SESSION 1: CO₂ Capture and valorization II | ||
| Chairperson presiding over the session: Avni Guruji, ECOMATES DC | ||
| TIME | SPEAKER | TALK TITLE |
| 09:00-09:30 | Ivo Vankelecom KU LEUVEN (INVITED SPEAKER) | Membrane development for electrolysis and carbon capture, and their upscaling at MTG @ KU Leuven |
| 09:30-09:50 | Anastasiia Konovalova Technical University of Denmark | Advanced Characterization and Utilization of Anion Exchange Ionomers in Low-Temperature CO₂ Electroreduction |
| 09:50-10:10 | Carmelo Parata Politecnico di Torino (ECOMATES FELLOW) | Characterization and Comparison of DAPP-Based AEMs for CO₂ Electrolysis |
| 10:10-10:30 | Devis Di Tommaso Queen Mary University of London | Amorphous Catalysts for CO₂ Electroreduction |
| 10:30-11:00 |
COFFEE BREAK
| |
| SESSION 2: Engineered catalytic materials | ||
| Chairperson presiding over the session: Prof. Chrystelle Salameh, ECOMATES Team member | ||
| TIME | SPEAKER | TALK TITLE |
| 11:00-11:30 | Amr Nada Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) (INVITED SPEAKER) | Engineering Porphyrin Conjugated Polymer Thin Films for Heterogeneous Electrocatalysis |
| 11:30-11:50 | Lovelle Rhoy Carino Manpatilan Politecnico di Torino (ECOMATES FELLOW) | Atomic Layer Deposition of Copper and Zinc-based Catalysts for Electrochemical CO₂ Conversion |
| 11:50-12:10 | Matteo Bordin Fondazione Bruno Kessler | Engineering High-Entropy Materials: Nitrogen Integration for Advanced Bifunctional Water Electrolysis |
| 12:10-12:30 | Sabrina Campagna Zignani CNR-ITAE | Design and Development of Non-CRM Catalysts for Efficient Co-Electrolysis Cells |
| 12:30 – 14:00 |
LUNCH BREAK
| |
| SESSION 3: Power-to-Hydrogen | ||
| Chairperson presiding over the session: Prof. Michele Re Fiorentin, ECOMATES Team member | ||
| TIME | SPEAKER | TALK TITLE |
| 14:00-14:30 | Hannah Johnson Toyota Motor Europe (INVITED SPEAKER) | PGM-free catalysts in PEM electrolysis: Impact and future perspectives on performance, cost, environmental impact |
| 14:20-14:40 | Inmaculada Ortiz Uribe University of Cantabria | Green hydrogen from steam electrolysis: Benefits and limitations |
| 14:50-15:10 | Vincenzo Romano Politecnico di Torino | Optimal Planning of a Regionally Distributed Hydrogen Valley: A Case Study for Internal and Cross-Border Interactions |
| 15:10-15:30 | Sebastien Gabarino Prima Québec | Advanced Materials Moving Forward: A Journey through the Québec Ecosystem |
| 15:30-16:00 |
COFFEE BREAK
| |
| SESSION 4: ROUNDTABLE | ||
| Chairperson presiding over the session: Dr. Deepak Pant, ECOMATES Team member | ||
| TIME | SPEAKER | TALK TITLE |
| 16:00-16:30 | Andreas Zuttel EPFL (INVITED SPEAKER) | A heuristic model for the technical and economic assessment of Power-to-X plants |
| 16:30-17:30 | Roundtable and Closing Remarks | |
The conference lasts 5 days, each day includes sessions dedicated to specific topics. The programme includes presentations by the ECOMATES Doctoral Candidates, invited talks from leading international scientists, an industrial session, and a stakeholder roundtable. Oral and poster sessions provide opportunities for all participants to share and discuss recent results and emerging ideas.
CONFIRMED INVITED SPEAKERS
- Michael Zaworotko (University of Limerik )
- Stephan Steinman (École normale supérieure de Lyon)
- Jordi Arbiol (Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology)
- Katharina Doblhoff-Dier (University of Leiden)
- Jens Oluf Jensen (Danmarks Tekniske Universitet)
- Ivo Vankelekom (KU Leuven)
- Hannah Johnson (Toyota Motor Europe)
- Egill Skúlason (ATMONIA)
- Ib Chorkendorff (Danmarks Tekniske Universitet)
- Amr Nada (Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology)
- Sixto Gimenez Julia (Universitat Jaume I)
- Michail Tsampas (DIFFER, NL)
- Viktoria Golovanova (Institute of Photonic Sciences - ICFO)
- Vasiliki Zogali (ADVENT Technologies)
- Mohamed Nawfal Ghazzal (Université Paris-Saclay)
The event also serves as the final conference of the EU-funded Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network ECOMATES (Electrochemical conversion of CO₂ into added-value products via highly selective bimetallic MATerials and innovative process dESign), which has trained a new generation of researchers while advancing sustainable electrochemical technologies.
Conference Participation
Participation in the conference is free of charge, with attendance limited to around 100 participants to foster meaningful discussions and close scientific exchange. Abstracts for oral or poster presentations can be submitted through the following link: