The STORMING consortium held its second regular High-Level Expert (HLE) Group meeting on 27
August 2025, bringing together leading figures from academia and industry for a focused online session. As the final HLE meeting planned within the project, it served as a decisive moment to reflect on results, validate the project’s direction, and prepare for upcoming exploitation and dissemination milestones.
A structured review of progress
The meeting opened with a short introduction by EEIP, reiterating the purpose of the HLE group: to offer strategic insights across the full STORMING value chain, from methane supply and catalyst development to hydrogen infrastructure and carbon nanomaterial applications. Members also received a brief recap of their role in supporting higher technology readiness and ensuring the project’s relevance to industrial, regulatory, and societal needs.
UNIBO then presented an overview of project objectives, methodology, and final results. The consortium highlighted technological progress made across electrically heated structured reactors, microwave, induction and joule heating and the performance of iron-based catalysts designed for waste-free regeneration. These developments underpin STORMING’s approach to CO₂-free methane cracking and the production of both clean hydrogen and valuable solid carbon.
Industrial perspectives
HyGear and CleanCarb provided applied viewpoints based on implementation and testing. Their interventions focused on system behaviour under real operating conditions, robustness of reactor configurations, and the industrial potential of the catalytic process. These insights supported the wider discussion on how STORMING technologies could transition from pilot validation to market-ready solutions.
Social assessment update
EEIP presented the outcomes of the social assessment activities and invited the experts to comment on risk perception, communication priorities, and overall societal acceptance. The feedback gathered will be used to refine public-facing messages and strengthen transparency around safety, emissions, and the value proposition of carbon-free hydrogen.
Looking ahead to the final event
The session concluded with practical information about the STORMING Final Event, to be held on 7 October 2025 in Arnhem. This event will showcase all major project outcomes, including:
• Electrified structured reactors validated at TRL5.
• Over 60 percent energy-efficient hydrogen production with zero direct CO₂ emissions.
• Stable, regenerable Fe-based catalysts.
• Conversion of solid carbon into nanomaterials for energy-storage applications.
• Full environmental, economic and social assessments.
The final event will also feature contributions from sister projects ColdSpark and TITAN, connecting STORMING’s achievements to broader European efforts to electrify industrial processes and support decarbonisation.
With the project approaching completion, the M36 HLE meeting reaffirmed the strong collaboration between experts and consortium partners. The group’s input continues to shape the scientific, industrial, and communication pathways that will carry STORMING’s innovations beyond the project’s end.