The idea of directly removing harmful CO2 gas from the atmosphere and converting it into a solid was the starting point for the NECOC (No Emissions through converting Carbon diOxide to Carbon) research project, which was launched in 2020. KIT researchers developed the required process, which has already been successfully demonstrated in a test facility. “We produce a high-purity carbon powder that can be stored safely or used as a raw material,” said Dr. Benjamin Dietrich from KIT’s Institute of Thermal Process Engineering (TVT). Dietrich headed the project in cooperation with the Karlsruhe Liquid Metal Laboratory (KALLA) at KIT’s Institute for Thermal Energy Technology and Safety (ITES).
Now the researchers are moving the new technology along the path to industrial application. “We’re refining the NECOC process so that CO₂ from industrial emissions can be used,” Dietrich said. “That will give us a powerful new tool for closing carbon cycles on-site at industrial plants.” The focus is on industries, such as Baden Württemberg’s cast iron industry, that are key starting points for essential industrial value chains but have technically unavoidable high emissions. An example is a facility in Singen, which produces axle and brake components for the automotive industry.
NECOC Process on the Path to Implementation
In the production of cast iron, CO₂ emissions result from the use of coke in the furnace. Coke is both a fuel and an indispensable ingredient in the metallurgical processes. In combination with the NECOC process, the furnace exhaust is collected and its CO₂ is concentrated and fed into a NECOC system where the CO2 is converted to methane using hydrogen; the methane is then fed through molten tin. A pyrolysis reaction takes place in the molten metal, with the methane decomposing into hydrogen (which is used later in the process) and solid carbon. In the furnace, the carbon replaces the coal-based coke that was previously used.
Like all CCU (carbon capture and utilization) processes, the NECOC process requires energy. However, it is very flexible about the source of that energy. Thanks to the methane pyrolysis technology developed at KIT, sources other than heat, electricity, and hydrogen can be used. Emission-free use of biogas or natural gas is planned for the facility in Singen. According to Professor Thomas Wetzel, who heads TVT and KALLA, and Professor Daniel Banuti, head of ITES, this calls for new thinking about how hydrogen technology, gas processing, high-temperature reactions in molten metal, and material cycle management can work together. The unique range of expertise at KIT will contribute to the project’s success.
Closing Carbon Cycles
The process also opens up new possibilities beyond cast iron production. For example, planning is in progress for a further transfer project involving waste incineration, another process in which CO₂ emissions are unavoidable. The carbon produced in the NECOC process can be used as a raw material in many ways. In addition to its cast iron applications, initial research into its use as an electrode material in batteries has shown promising results. A further option is using it to improve the properties of durable construction materials. “We’re closing carbon cycles,” Dietrich said. “Step by step, the climate-damaging emissions of today are becoming part of a circular industry.”
Presentation of Grant Notice in Stuttgart
At a kick-off event, Baden Württemberg’s Minister of Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism, Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut, presented the grant notice today (March 31, 2026) at the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
“The project at KIT is laying the groundwork for carbon-neutral production in sectors where current processes emit large amounts of carbon dioxide, ensuring future value creation in our economic hub of Baden-Württemberg. In addition, it’s creating a strong foundation on which processes and systems for capturing and using carbon dioxide, based on engineering expertise from Baden Württemberg, can become showpieces for our industrial location,” Hoffmeister-Kraut said.
“With NECOC, we’re showing that climate protection and industrial value creation don’t have to be conflicting goals,” said Professor Thomas Hirth, Vice President Transfer and International Affairs at KIT. “This technology gives us a chance to make processes climate-friendly in spite of their unavoidable CO2 emissions while also safeguarding long-term value creation and employment in Germany.”
About the NECOC Transfer Project
KIT is coordinating the NECOC-BW project. Baden Württemberg’s Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism is funding the work at KIT with EUR 1.4 million over three years.
More about the KIT Energy Center
In close partnership with society, KIT develops solutions for urgent challenges – from climate change, energy transition and sustainable use of natural resources to artificial intelligence, sovereignty and an aging population. As The University in the Helmholtz Association , KIT unites scientific excellence from insight to application-driven research under one roof – and is thus in a unique position to drive this transformation. As a University of Excellence, KIT offers its more than 10,000 employees and 22,800 students outstanding opportunities to shape a sustainable and resilient future. KIT – Science for Impact.