From May 5th to 7th, 2025, researchers and technologists specializing in synthetic fuels will gather in Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany, for the Scientific Symposium “100 Years Fischer-Tropsch Process: A Central Pillar of Future Energy Systems.”
The symposium is organized by a scientific committee that includes E-TANDEM partners Michael Claeys (University of Cape Town, UCT, South Africa), Walter Leitner (Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion, MPI CEC, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany), and E-TANDEM’s project coordinator Gonzalo Prieto (ITQ Institute for Chemical Technology, CSIC-UPV, Valencia, Spain).
Originally patented in July 1925 by German chemists Franz Fischer and Hans Tropsch, the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis is a chemical reaction that converts syngas into synthetic hydrocarbons. A century later, the chemical process named after this catalytic reaction remains a key technology in the effort to de-fossilize heavy-duty transport sectors that rely on the availability of high-energy-density synthetic liquid fuels. Modified versions of this reaction form the foundation of E-TANDEM’s approach to producing higher oxygenate renewable e-fuels of non-biological origin for waterborne mobility.
The symposium will showcase the latest advancements in Fischer-Tropsch technology and applications, along with fundamental progress in understanding and improving catalytic reactions. It will also highlight developments within the E-TANDEM project, particularly the development and experimental validation of a continuous conversion process for producing higher oxygenates directly from (e-)syngas. Additionally, the scientific program will explore the historical evolution of the process and provide platforms for discussing its societal and environmental implications in the context of sustainable energy systems.
Website: https://dechema.de/en/Fischer_Tropsch_Process_2025.html
