*Simultaneous English-Italian translation will be available at all conference events
14:30-16:15
Emerging decarbonisation technologies: CCUS
CO₂ capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) will be an essential tool in achieving a net-zero economy. According to the latest IEA Net Zero Roadmap, 5 Gt/y of CO₂ capture capacity must be deployed between 2030 and 2050—equivalent to installing 250 plants per year, each with a capture capacity of 1 Mt/y.
Following the “lost decade” of 2010–2020, the recent rise in ETS prices and financing from the Innovation Fund are boosting the CCS industry in Europe, with dozens of large-scale projects announced for deployment by 2030.
Still, CO₂ capture remains a debated and polarizing topic—seen by some as a key contributor across all sectors, and by others as an expensive delay tactic.
Which industrial sectors cannot decarbonize without CCS? Are there sectors where CCS is cost-competitive but being overlooked? What role does the oil and gas industry play in the CCS landscape? Is direct air capture the next big market in the energy transition, or just a dream? Can startups offer new directions in the CCS value chain?
This session will explore these questions, with contributions from energy analysts, representatives of the cement, steel, and oil & gas industries, and developers of breakthrough negative emission technologies.
Chair: Matteo Romano
Professor of Energy Systems and Industry Decarbonization – Polytechnic University of Milan
Federico Foschini
Senior Policy Advisor – Herambiente – Hera Group
Marios Katsiotis – remotely
Group Head of R&D – TITAN Cement Group
Paul Cobden
Principal Scientist – Swerim
Roberto Ferrario
Knowledge Owner CCUS Technologies – ENI
Daniel Sutter
Vice President Storage & Energy Solutions – Climeworks
Stefano Cappello
Founder, CEO – Limenet
Coffee Break (16:15-16:45)
16:45-18:30
Emerging decarbonisation technologies: Small Modular Reactors
Nuclear energy is re-emerging as a suitable option to address the energy trilemma (decarbonization, security of supply, affordability), at world, European and Italian levels. Besides large new-generation nuclear power plants, innovative small modular reactors (SMR) and advanced modular reactors (AMR) are being considered for deployment or under development in several countries.
As recently suggested by the International Energy Agency (IEA report “The Path to a New Era for Nuclear Energy”, Jan 2025), nuclear energy “comeback is clearly underway and nuclear now stands on the cusp of a new era, owing to a combination of government policies, technological innovation and private sector interest”.
Modular design, the possibility to move large part of the construction from the site to the workshop, the further enhancement of the safety level by means of passive safety systems, the exploitation of Economy of Series effect instead of the traditional Economy of Scale approach, the use of SMR/AMR units in cogeneration mode to generate electricity and heat for district heating/cooling, desalination, hydrogen production, biofuel, thus fostering the integration with renewables, the possibility to reduce the size and of the radioactive waste, are among the key points of interest. At the same time, several major challenges still need to be overcome.
What about the time-to-market of the SMR/AMR technologies? Will they keep the promise of being deployed on-time and on-budget? How to organize a nuclear supply chain able to ensure such a performance? Which business and deployment models will be suitable, also to solve the financing issue?
The keynote and the panel will provide cutting-edge insights into the promising solution offered by SMR and AMR and address pressing questions.
Chair: Marco Ricotti
Full Professor in Nuclear Engineering – Polytechnic University of Milan
Jan Panek
European Commission, DG Energy, DDG Euratom policies – remotely
The European SMR Industrial Alliance
Rafael Ledesma
Europe Regional Commercial Director – GE Vernova Nuclear Energy
The BWRX-300 deployment strategy
Sandro Baldi
Commercial Director – EdF Nuward
The Nuward SMR project
Elisabeth Rizzotti
COO and co-founder – Newcleo
The Newcleo Advanced modular reactor project
Daniela Gentile
CEO – Ansaldo Nucleare
The SMR supply chain: challenges and opportunities
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