Arnhem, Netherlands – 7 October 2025
The STORMING project held its Final Event in Arnhem, the Netherlands, bringing together partners, collaborators, and stakeholders from across Europe to present the project’s outcomes and reflect on three years of research and innovation in CO₂-free methane catalytic cracking. The meeting also included contributions from several sister projects under the Horizon Europe call HORIZON-CL5-2021-D2-01-09 – Methane cracking to usable hydrogen and carbon, reinforcing collaboration within the European clean energy research community.
Advancing CO₂-Free Hydrogen through Electrified Methane Cracking
Launched in 2022, the STORMING project (Structured unconventional reactors for CO₂-free methane catalytic cracking) set out to develop innovative electrified reactor technologies capable of converting fossil and renewable methane into hydrogen without generating carbon dioxide. Instead, the process produces solid carbon materials, including carbon nanotubes (CNTs), with potential value in industrial and high-tech applications.
By combining advanced catalysis with alternative heating methods such as microwave, induction, and Joule heating, the project aimed to demonstrate that hydrogen production can be decarbonised while capturing and valorising carbon by-products. The project’s results show that electrified catalytic systems can achieve efficient methane conversion with lower energy losses and a significantly improved environmental footprint.
Presenting Results and Cross-Project Collaboration
The final event opened with a welcome from HyGear’s Anton Scholten, host of the meeting and partner responsible for the final reactor demonstration. He emphasised the importance of developing industrially viable hydrogen technologies that align with Europe’s carbon neutrality objectives.
The morning session focused on collaboration between sister projects funded under the same Horizon Europe call.
Patricia Benito (University of Bologna) presented the work of STORMING, highlighting the experimental validation of electrified reactor concepts and the design of a full-scale demonstrator.
Wei Zhao (TITAN project) and Terje Hauan (COLDSPARK project) shared complementary approaches to methane cracking, showing how shared research strengthens Europe’s position in the clean hydrogen value chain.
Following, representatives from related projects ēQATOR (Richard H. Heyn) and e-CODUCT (Soroush Zareghorbaei) joined the stage to present their progress on electrically heated catalytic reactors. A panel discussion brought together researchers from all projects to discuss how the electrification of reactors can contribute to the decarbonisation of hard-to-abate sectors such as chemicals and fuels.
STORMING Results and Demonstration
In the afternoon, STORMING partners presented the project’s key achievements and discussed the implications for both research and industry. Among the outcomes presented were:
- The development of structured catalytic reactors tailored for efficient methane decomposition.
- Integration of electrical heating to replace conventional gas-fired systems.
- Production of CO₂-free hydrogen alongside solid carbon nanomaterials with high economic potential.
- 3D printing techniques to manufacture structured monoliths with improved precision, thermal performance, and scalability — demonstrating how additive manufacturing can accelerate the customisation of reactor geometries and catalyst configurations.
- Validation of reactor concepts at laboratory and pilot scale.
These results confirm that catalytic methane cracking can serve as a low-emission alternative to traditional hydrogen production routes such as steam methane reforming, while generating carbon materials suitable for industrial reuse.
Visit to the HyGear Facilities
The event concluded with a visit to the HyGear laboratories, where participants had the opportunity to observe the prototype developed within STORMING. The demonstration allowed attendees to see firsthand the design and performance of the reactor, a milestone achieved through close collaboration between research and industry partners.
This session provided a tangible link between the theoretical and experimental aspects of the project, highlighting the potential for future upscaling and integration of electrified reactors in real-world industrial settings.
Reflections and Future Outlook
The discussions throughout the day underscored how STORMING has advanced scientific understanding of electrified catalytic systems, bridging the gap between fundamental research and industrial application. By coupling hydrogen production with carbon valorisation, the project aligns with the EU’s strategy for circular and sustainable energy systems.
The exchange with sister projects demonstrated the value of coordinated European research efforts, where different consortia contribute complementary expertise, from catalyst design to process electrification and system integration. Together, these initiatives pave the way for more efficient, cleaner hydrogen technologies to support Europe’s energy transition.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement No. 101069690. The responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the authors.