EURECHA Process Design Contest
The Process Design Contest is an annual activity organized by EURECHA, with the support of the CAPE Working Party and the Energy section of the European Federation of Chemical Engineering. It is open to students from any university (or equivalent institution), usually in teams. The participants have several months to prepare and submit solutions to an open problem that involves Energy and Chemical Engineering, while using tools of Computer Aided Chemical Engineering.
Current edition (2026):
2026 Process Design Contest – Sponsored by AVEVA
We are pleased to announce the 2026 edition of the EURECHA Process Design Contest, sponsored by AVEVA. All details are available in the official Call for the 2026 Process Design Contest.
Topic: Utilization of industrial or other useful wastes to chemicals, fuels or energy
Submission: Accepted in two categories (Bachelor and Master level) until April 15, 2026, 23:59 CET
Awards:
- Monetary prizes up to 1000€
- Invitations to present at conferences such as the European Symposium on Computer-Aided Process Engineering (ESCAPE)
- Publication on the Eurecha website and in LAPSE
- Invitations to submit to special issues in peer-reviewed journals
Supplementary offers:
- A EURECHA mentor
- Exclusive online training by AVEVA
Please register via e-mail to eurecha.secretariat@gmail.com.
Past editions
2025 – Sponsored by AVEVA
Topic: Manufacturing Chemical Products from CO₂ using Renewable Energy Resources in Belgium
- 1st prize: Jakob Hoch and Daniel Schicksnus (RWTH Aachen University, Germany)
Simulation and Optimization of Variable Ethylene Production from Carbon Dioxide Utilizing Intermittent Electricity- Download report [LAPSE:2025.0587]
- Download Aspen Plus and Python files: [LAPSE:2025.0588]
- 2nd Prize: MinChul Soh, Lance Simandjoentak, Ezra Woldezes, Junhyuk Yun, and Vanessa Qian (Imperial College London, UK)
Innovative Strategies in Sustainable Formaldehyde Production: Integrating Process Optimisation, Carbon Capture, and Environmental Assessment- Download report [LAPSE:2025.0589]
- Download Aspen Plus files: [LAPSE:2025.0590]
- Download GAMS files: [LAPSE:2025.0591]
- Download OpenLCA files: [LAPSE:2025.0592]
2024 – Sponsored by AVEVA
Topic: Manufacturing Chemical Products from CO₂ using Renewable Energy Resources in Italy
- 1st prize: Nikolaos Kalmoukidis, Maximiliano Taube, Savvas Staikos, and Amsalia Barus (TU Delft, The Netherlands)
Transforming CO₂ into Formic Acid: An Eco Efficient Design in Italy [LAPSE:2025.0605] - 2nd Prize: SafikriAji Pratama, Shifa Gumuruh, Sultan Salman, Robith Hadhromi, and Ihsaan Furlonge (Imperial College London, UK)
Design, Simulation, and Optimisation of Sustainable Fertiliser Production [LAPSE:2025.0604]
2023 – Sponsored by PSE for Speed
Topic: Manufacturing Chemical Products from CO₂ using Renewable Energy Resources in Greece
- 1st prize: Nadia Reda, Zoé Deckers, Jean Jacques Colard, Denis William Ateajeu Tchio, and Maurine Hennuy (University of Liège, Belgium):
Production of olefins from carbon dioxide and renewable electricity [LAPSE:2025.0603]
- 2nd Prize: Anziel Malandri, Daria Kozyr, Haditya K. Purwanto, Maximilian Bloor, and Noof Al Lawati (Imperial College London, UK):
Data Driven Optimisation of Intermittent Methanol Production via Electrocatalytic Reduction of CO₂ from Direct Air Capture [LAPSE:2025.0602]
2021 – Sponsored by PSE for SPEED
Topic: Manufacturing Chemical Products from CO₂ using Renewable Energy Resources in France
- 1st prize: Jannik Bothe, Johanna Güttler, Mathis Heyer, Dion Jakobs, and Jan Pavšek (RWTH Aachen University, Germany):
CO₂ Utilization under Intermittent Electricity Supply: Sorption Enhanced DME Synthesis with an Integrated RSOC Process [LAPSE:2025.0601] - 2nd Prize: Loirs Baggio, Martin Govaert, Bernard Marchal, and Antoine Rouxhet (University of Liège, Belgium):
Direct Dimethyl Carbonate Production from Carbon Dioxide and Methanol [LAPSE:2025.0600]
2020
Topic: Mobile On-Demand (MOD) Biopharmaceutical Vaccine Manufacture
- 1st prize: Steffen Fahr, Lukas Thiel, and Carl Sengoba (RWTH Aachen University, Germany):
Mobile on-Demand (MOD) mRNA Vaccine Production: A Design and Optimal Location Study [LAPSE:2025.0599]
2019
Topic: Transition to Industrial Production Based on Green Hydrogen
- 1st prize: Maximilian Siska, Michael Moritz, Jan Raphael Seidenberg, Marc Stumm, and Song Zhai (RWTH Aachen University, Germany):
A Path to Sustainability: Green Hydrogen Based Production of Steel and Ammonia [LAPSE:2025.0598]
2018
Topic: Green Diesel Production
- 1st prize: Javier Moreno Fernández-Villamil, and Aurelio Hurtado de Mendoza Paniagua (Polytechnic University of Madrid, Spain):
Preliminary design of the green diesel production process by hydrotreatment of vegetable oils [LAPSE:2025.0597] - 2nd Prize: Robert Kiefel and Jannik T. Lüthje (RWTH Aachen University, Germany):
Conceptual Process Design: Production of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil as an Additive for Petro-Diesel [LAPSE:2025.0596]
2017
Topic: Carbon Capture, Storage and Reuse
- 1st prize: Flemming Holtorf, Luise Being, Andreas Vellguth, Daniel Felder, and Pascal Padberg (RWTH Aachen University, Germany):
Screening and Optimal Design of CCU Processes Using Superstructure Optimization [LAPSE:2025.0595] - 2nd Prize: Alba Carrero Parreño, Juan Diego Medrano García, and Natalia Quirante (University of Alicante, Spain):
Carbon CO2 Reuse in Direct DME Syntehsis from Syngas [LAPSE:2025.0594]
2016
Topic: CO₂ Separation, Transport, and Sequestration
- 1st prize: Jannik Burre, Adrian Caspari, Johanna Kleinekorte, Lukas Mertens, and Artur Schweidtmann (RWTH Aachen University, Germany) [LAPSE:2025.0703]
2015
Topic: Provision of utilities
- 1st prize: Božidar Aničić and Tibor Kuna (University of Maribor, Slovenia) [LAPSE:2025.0702]