The global transition away from fossil resources is expanding beyond the energy sector, with renewable energy and renewable carbon emerging as key pillars of a future low-carbon and circular economy.
While solar, wind, batteries and hydrogen are increasingly recognised as alternatives to fossil energy, industries such as chemicals and plastics face a different challenge. These sectors require carbon as a fundamental raw material for producing a wide range of everyday products.
The solution lies in replacing fossil carbon with renewable sources derived from biomass, captured CO₂ and recycled materials—a process known as defossilisation.
From Decarbonisation to Defossilisation
The energy transition is primarily focused on decarbonisation, or replacing fossil energy with renewable sources. However, chemical and plastics industries cannot simply eliminate carbon from their production processes.
Instead, they need to change the source of the carbon they use.
Renewable carbon can come from three major sources: biomass, CO₂ and recycling. By replacing fossil-based feedstocks with these alternatives, industries can reduce their dependence on finite fossil resources while maintaining carbon as a necessary building block for materials and chemicals.
According to nova-Institute, decarbonisation of the energy system and defossilisation of chemical production are complementary strategies that will be essential for achieving a net-zero and circular economy.
Renewable Carbon Technologies Gaining Momentum
A growing number of technologies, renewable chemicals and alternative materials are already commercially available or under development.
However, their wider adoption will depend on investment, technological scaling and supportive policy frameworks.
The renewable carbon economy is gaining attention across the chemical and plastics industries as companies look to reduce fossil feedstock dependence, improve resource resilience and respond to increasing sustainability requirements.
The transition could also create new opportunities for bio-based materials, recycled carbon, CO₂ utilisation, renewable chemicals and fossil-free plastics.
Renewable Materials Conference 2026 to Highlight Defossilisation
These developments will be a central focus of the upcoming Renewable Materials Conference (RMC) 2026, organised by nova-Institute.
The conference will take place from September 22–24, 2026, in Siegburg/Cologne, Germany, and online, under the theme “Defossilisation through Innovation.”
The event will bring together representatives from the chemical and plastics industries, brand owners, start-ups, investors, policymakers and research organisations to discuss the transition toward renewable carbon.
The programme will focus on areas including defossilisation of the chemical industry, fossil-free plastics, renewable carbon policy frameworks and biodegradation.
Conference to Feature 75 Presentations and 20 Panel Discussions
The 2026 conference programme will feature 75 presentations and 20 panel discussions, along with a high-level evening panel examining how multiple global disruptions could accelerate industrial transformation.
The event will also include 17 interactive workshops covering topics ranging from technological innovations and market trends to policy developments, certification, circularity, lignin valorisation and biodegradation of plastics.
In addition, 41 exhibition booths will provide opportunities for companies and researchers to showcase technologies and solutions while connecting with potential customers and partners.
Renewable Material of the Year 2026
One of the highlights will be the “Renewable Material of the Year 2026” innovation award, sponsored by Covestro.
Six nominees will compete for the award, presenting their materials or technologies in ten-minute pitches before participants vote for the winning innovation.
The award is intended to highlight emerging technologies and materials that could contribute to the transition toward a renewable carbon economy.
Industry Collaboration and Investment Remain Critical
The shift away from fossil resources will require collaboration across the value chain, from raw-material suppliers and chemical producers to manufacturers, brands, policymakers and investors.
For the chemical and plastics industries in particular, the transition represents more than an environmental challenge. It could reshape feedstock strategies, manufacturing technologies, material development and supply-chain structures.
As renewable energy increasingly transforms the energy system, renewable carbon could play a similar role in reducing fossil dependence within material and chemical production.
The development of a scalable renewable carbon economy will ultimately depend on technological innovation, investment and policy support capable of accelerating the commercial adoption of renewable and circular alternatives.
Source: nova-Institute
Renewable Materials Conference 2026 Programme