Across Europe, industry is under pressure to cut emissions, lower dependence on fossil energy and use renewable resources more intelligently. Within that context, the EU-funded CERNET project is exploring how biogenic CO2 and methane can be converted into high-value bio-based ingredients and materials.
Welcome to CERNET
Turning Carbon into Value
CERNET is a pioneering European innovation project transforming biogenic CO₂ emissions into valuable bio-based products. By integrating cutting-edge carbon capture and conversion technologies across three industrial demo sites, CERNET aims to accelerate the circular bioeconomy and support climate neutrality.
Who's behind Cernet
Meet the partners
The project brings together industry, academia and society to co-create sustainable solutions, foster stakeholder engagement, and maximise impact through open science, inclusivity and knowledge sharing.
Meet the partners
Supporting Cernet
Consortium partners
These companies and institutions stand behind Cernet
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CO₂ to be captured
CERNET IS SHORT FOR
biogeniC gasEous caRbon conversion into high added value chemicals and ingredients through a bio-based NETwork
Latest news from Cernet
The CERNET project marks another important milestone with a new scientific publication highlighting its contribution to advancing sustainable solutions.
The climate challenge cannot be solved by one country, one industry or one type of expertise alone. That is why the CERNET project brings together a unique European partnership of 21 organisations from 10 EU countries and is supported by Horizon Europe through the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU).
How do we turn CO₂ emissions into valuable resources – and scale the solutions fast enough to make a real impact? This was one of the key questions addressed at the “Greenhouse Gas: From Emission to Value” conference in Odense.
Key Activities in CERNET
Carbon Capture & Conversion
CERNET demonstrates how biogenic CO₂ and CH₄ emissions from industries like winemaking, agriculture, and waste management can be captured and transformed into valuable bio-based products. Technologies include oxyhydrogen fermentation, thermo-catalytic conversion, and microbial fermentation.
Product Validation
The project validates six bio-based ingredients—such as L-alanine, ectoine, and PHA—for use in real-world applications across food, cosmetics, cleaning products, and packaging. Each product is tested for quality, safety, and market relevance.
Sustainability Assessment
CERNET applies Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) principles and conducts Life Cycle Assessments (LCA), Social-LCA, and Life Cycle Costing (LCC) to ensure environmental, social, and economic sustainability across the value chains.
Business Models & Replication
A Decision Support System (DSS) inspired by the EU Emissions Trading System helps stakeholders evaluate trade-offs, optimise CCU configurations, and build scalable business cases. Replication strategies will support uptake beyond the demo sites.
Stakeholder Engagement & Dissemination
CERNET engages feedstock providers, industry, policymakers, and citizens through co-creation workshops, newsletters, and public events. WP8 ensures that knowledge is shared widely and impact is maximised across Europe.
