Coal, biomass and carbonaceous waste are valuable primary and secondary carbon carriers. Their energetic utilization through power generation and waste incineration represents a linear “cradle-to-grave” production and utilization route which is not only associated with significant emissions of greenhouse gases, trace components and fine dust, but is also a waste of valuable carbonaceous resources. Following the Paris Agreement, the global drive towards reducing carbon footprint has been accelerated. At the same time, there is also increasing pressure on industries to increase resource efficiency, conserve primary carbonaceous resources and reduce carbon leakage. In view of these global developments and trends, the 10th International Freiberg Conference on IGCC & XtL Technologies will address a wide range of issues associated with closing the carbon cycle and the role of carbon resources (e.g. coal, biomass, carbonaceous waste) in a circular economy.

The event provides a high-level discussion forum to facilitate the exchange of information and expertise between industry, scientific and political stakeholders along carbon value chains from extraction, processing/refining to conversion, utilization and chemical recycling. Participants are expected to come from diverse fields and industrial branches ranging from researchers and specialists engaged in fundamental and applied R&D to industry experts from energy, natural resource, chemical and recycling sectors as well as equipment and technology providers/manufacturers.

The conference provides a platform where international participants will have the opportunity to engage in in-depth exchanges about alternative and innovative developments associated with carbon resources as well as challenges and opportunities for carbon intensive and dependent industries. Studies and new developments by researchers and technology developers as well as current or planned projects and operational experiences by plant operators related to closing the carbon cycle shall be presented. Topics for presentations include:

• Feedstock extension for chemical utilization (lignite, high ash high melting coals, sewage sludge, plastic waste, ocean waste, biowaste, agricultural and animal waste …)
• Feedstock supply, homogenization and preparation (drying, feeding, deashing, …)
• Waste treatment (collection, sorting, crushing, agglomeration, baling, …)
• Low temperature conversion processes (e.g. extraction, torrefaction and pyrolysis)
• Upgrading of low-temperature conversion products (e.g. tar reforming, tar upgrading, coke production)
• Feedstock conversion (e.g. characterization, reaction kinetics, analytics of heterogeneous feedstock, …)
• Chemical conversion processes and technologies (solvolysis, pyrolysis, gasification/co-gasification, underground coal gasification, direct liquefaction, …)
• Synthesis gas treatment and synthesis technologies (CO₂ based synthesis, direct syngas conversion, …)
• Carbon dioxide capture, storage and utilization
• Combined cycle and gas turbine developments for IGCC and polygeneration
• Integration of coal and renewables for chemical storage
• Green hydrogen generation, storage and supply
• High value carbon products (graphene, carbon fiber, purest carbon …)
• Numerical modeling of conversion processes
• Concept evaluations and flow sheet simulation
• Concepts, industrial projects, industrial application
• National and international industry/science networks and initiatives for a low CO₂ emission and/or circular carbon economy
• Perspectives from industry (e.g. coal mining organizations, waste management companies, chemical industries, hydrogen economy, technology developers, …)
• Trends (zero-waste cities, circular carbon economy, ….) and national/global boundary conditions (social, economic, regulatory, political) for sustainable carbon conversion to chemicals, transportation fuels and electricity
• ….