From 14 to 16 May 2025, the HEPHAESTUS project was represented at the inaugural NetZero Milan Expo-Summit, a major international event dedicated to accelerating the transition toward a net-zero economy. The summit took place at the Allianz MiCo convention centre in Milan, bringing together global energy leaders, industrial innovators, investors, and policy makers to explore solutions for energy transition, industrial decarbonisation, and sustainable competitiveness.
HEPHAESTUS was featured at the RINA stand, where Enrico Salvatore, Energy Modelling Engineer at RINA Consulting and project coordinator within HEPHAESTUS, engaged with stakeholders and presented the project’s vision. His presence highlighted the strong contribution of HEPHAESTUS to the broader dialogue on reducing emissions in energy-intensive industries and developing clean, circular technologies.
HEPHAESTUS fits squarely within the summit’s thematic focus on industrial decarbonisation, emerging technologies, and EU policy frameworks. By advancing circular hydrometallurgical processes to recover zinc from electric arc furnace (EAF) dust and similar metallurgical residues, HEPHAESTUS directly supports the development of low-emission value chains in the steel and metals sectors. The project promotes efficient reagent regeneration, closed-loop operations, and the reintegration of recovered materials into the industrial cycle, all in line with EU climate targets.
Enrico Salvatore’s participation underlined the alignment between HEPHAESTUS and the goals of NetZero Milan—namely, to boost technological innovation, strengthen European industrial competitiveness, and accelerate market deployment of sustainable solutions. The presence of HEPHAESTUS alongside other innovative RINA-led initiatives demonstrated the strength of European research and development in addressing the challenges of the green transition.
With its collaborative, cross-sector approach, HEPHAESTUS continues to contribute to Europe’s net-zero ambitions by offering industrially scalable, environmentally sound, and economically viable solutions. The NetZero Milan Expo-Summit provided an excellent platform to showcase this progress and to foster new partnerships for future innovation.
