IChemE announces 2025 Global Award winners
21st November 2025
INEOS Electrochemical Solutions won the top honour at the 2025 IChemE Global Awards for pioneering scalable alkaline electrolyser technology, driving industrial decarbonisation forward.
Their Hydraeon project — a modular 25MW system built on 125 years of chlor-alkali expertise — sets a new benchmark for safe, reliable, and large-scale low-carbon hydrogen production.
The project saw INEOS clinch both the IChemE Oil, Gas and Energy Transition Award (sponsored by Kent) and the Outstanding Achievement in Chemical and Process Engineering Award (sponsored by ExxonMobil).
Elsewhere, Rolls Royce SMR Limited won two prizes: the Nuclear Technology Award (supported by IChemE’s Nuclear Technology Special Interest Group) and the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Award (sponsored by Shell). Sellafield Ltd lifted the Process Safety Award (sponsored by PM Group); and the University of Sheffield celebrated success in the Biopharma category (sponsored by SLR Consulting).
Other IChemE Award winners included: Newcastle University, winner of the Research Project Award, Cemex UK, winner of the Industry Project Award and Wildfire Energy, winner of the Sustainability Award.
Speaking at the event, IChemE President Raffaella Ocone introduced the ceremony by recognising the high standard of entries this year, as well as the breadth and depth of chemical engineering's ongoing positive impact on society. She also spoke of the importance of attracting a diverse range of talent into the profession and how we can all help by showcasing best practice in chemical engineering.
Raffaella said “The breadth and diversity of the entries clearly demonstrate how chemical engineering touches so many areas of society. It is this richness, and the positive impact that our discipline makes, that we recognise tonight. We are honouring the very best in chemical, process, and biochemical engineering.
From sustainable fuel technologies and innovative water solutions, to pioneering advances in food and drink, nuclear technology, and healthcare, the IChemE Global Awards span an extraordinary range of industries and sectors.”
With more than 100 finalists across 16 categories, the program featured an international line-up of winners and highly commended entries, including entries from the US, Germany, Denmark, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, and more.
The IChemE Global Awards were presented at the Mercure Piccadilly Hotel in Manchester, UK. Now in their 31st year, the IChemE Awards are widely recognised as the world’s most prestigious chemical engineering awards.
For more information about the IChemE Global Awards visit www.icheme.org/globalawards.
IChemE Global Awards 2025 winners and highly commended entries
Biopharma Award – Sponsored by SLR Consulting
Winner: University of Sheffield, UK – UK-Southeast Asia Vaccine Manufacturing Research Hub (UK-SEA Vax Hub)
Highly commended:
- Merck & Co, USA; MSD, International – Leveraging Chemical Engineering Innovations for the Development and Commercialisation of Nemtabrutinib (MK-1026)
- Novartis Pharma AG, Switzerland – Scientific Modelling Based Scale-up and Tech Transfer for Anti-Cancer Drug Product Development
Business Start-up Award – Sponsored by Sellafield Ltd
Winner: Novalith Technologies, Australia – Revolutionising Sustainable Lithium Processing with Breakthrough LiCAL™ Technology
Highly commended:
- Mission Zero Technologies, UK – Scaling affordable, energy-efficient electrochemical direct air capture worldwide
- Rolls-Royce SMR, UK – Rolls-Royce SMR: Clean, Affordable Energy for All
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Award – Sponsored by Shell
Winner: Rolls-Royce SMR, UK – Rolls-Royce SMR: Excellence in Inclusion
Highly commended:
- Bouygues Energies & Services, UK – Engineering Inclusion: Driving Diverse Talent Across Technical Project Delivery
- BP International, UK – The Positively Ethnic Network (PEN)
Food and Drink Award – Supported by IChemE’s Food and Drink Special Interest Group
Winner: Beca, Suntory Oceania, Australia – Project FOD (‘Field of Dreams’) – A Benchmark for Sustainable Australian Beverage Manufacturing
Highly commended:
- Amaea, New Zealand – Amaea Pioneers New Molecularly Imprinted Polymer (MIP) Technology for Precision Winemaking
- Chivas Brothers, UK – Carbon reduction of malt distilling by mechanical vapour recompression
Industry Project Award – Sponsored by BCECA
Winner: Cemex, UK – Climafuel Transformation: 100% Alternative Fuel Operation at Rugby Cement Plant
Highly commended:
- PETRONAS Technical Services, Malaysia – Leading the Charge: Reducing GHG Emissions with Floating LNG Offgas Recovery
- RJM Corporation, UK, Eren Enerji, Turkey – Combustion Performance Upgrade Project to improve boiler efficiency and reduce emissions
Innovative Process Award – Sponsored by Chemicals Northwest
Winner: SD Guthrie Research, Malaysia – Rapid Tank: Redefining Clarification for the Future of Palm Oil Mills
Highly commended:
- Corteva Agriscience, USA – Second Generation Rinskor™ Active Route Leads to More Sustainable and Efficient Process
- UNICAT Catalyst Technologies, USA, UNICAT Catalyst, UK – Magcat®
Innovative Product Award – Sponsored by Rolls Royce
Winner: bp International, UK; Veolia Water Technologies & Solutions, Germany – Refinery Real-Time Anti-Corrosion Treatment (to Enhance Product Yield)
Highly commended
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University; Hydrexia Holding, China – High-capacity Magnesium-based Solid-state Hydrogen Storage and Transportation Trailer
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; China Agricultural University; National University of Singapore; Shenzhen University, China – Virus control in water and infected plants by Fenton-like Technology
Nuclear Technology Award – Supported by IChemE’s Nuclear Technology Special Interest Group
Winner: Rolls-Royce SMR, UK – Engineering for Extremes - Our Philosophy for Severe Accident Management
Highly commended
- Facility for Rare Isotope Beams, Michigan State University, USA – Design and implementation of the Isotope Harvesting Project at FRIB
- Rolls-Royce SMR, UK – It's Getting Hot in Here (So Model All Your Flows)
Oil, Gas and Energy Transition Award – Sponsored by Kent
Winner: INEOS Electrochemical Solutions, UK – Developing scalable, highly efficient alkaline electrolyser technology to deliver industrial decarbonisation goals
Highly commended:
- ExxonMobil, UK and Malaysia – Producing hydrocarbon fluids using a novel line up in a condensed timeline
- PETRONAS Research (PRSB), Malaysia – Bio-LNG from Waste to Fuel. Fueling Socio-Economic Growth in Remote Rural Malaysia
Process Automation and Digitalisation Award – Sponsored by The Chemical Engineer
Winner: Abqaiq Plants Operation Department, Saudi Arabia – Abqaiq Plant’s Digital Leap: Achieving Excellence through pioneering digital solutions
Highly commended:
- Gizil, Germany – Empowering the Next Workforce with Virtual Plant: Digitalising Plants for Future Engineers
- The University of Cambridge; Cambridge Centre for Advanced Research and Education in Singapore (CARES); Computational Modelling Cambridge (CMCL), UK – Revolutionising Laboratory Automation Across Sectors and Regions with The World Avatar
Process Safety Award – Sponsored by PM Group
Winner: Sellafield Ltd; UKNNL, UK – Metallic nuclear fuel immobilisation - getting it right fast
Highly commended:
- Marsh, UAE – Cy[PHA]: Applying PHA Methodologies For Cyberattack Initiated Process Safety Events
- NRS Dounreay, UK – Decommissioning the Dounreay Prototype Fast Reactor
Renewable Energy Award – Sponsored by ChemUK
Winner: AQUABATTERY, The Netherlands – Acid–Base Flow Battery Innovation for Decarbonisation and Grid Resilience in Europe
Highly commended:
- PETRONAS; Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Malaysia; Arema Energies SARL; Schnieder Electric, France – A Hybrid Offshore-Onshore Renewable Energy Proof-of-Concept for Malaysia's Net Zero Future
- Wood plc, UK – Integrated Tool for Hybrid Renewable and Power-to-X Energy System Design
Research Project Award – Sponsored by CATCH
Winner: Newcastle University, UK – Engineering chemical reactor technologies for a low-carbon energy future
Highly commended
- PETRONAS, Malaysia – Unleashing Production Potential with PETRONAS Well Intervention Fluids-Friction Modifier (WIF-FM) Solutions
- University College London, UK – Future Targeted Healthcare Manufacturing Hub
Sustainability Award – Sponsored by Johnson Matthey
Winner: Wildfire Energy, Australia – Wildfire Energy: Moving Injection Horizontal Gasification
Highly commended:
- Carbon Neutral Fuels; IO Consulting, UK – ASAP-DAC: Sustainable Aviation Fuels Plant - Feasibility and Pre-FEED Engineering
- KwikFab; EvoPhase, UK – Birmingham Blade – AI-Optimised Wind Turbine for Low-Wind Urban Environments
Training and Development Award – Sponsored by adi Group
Winner: University of Birmingham; University College London; Teesside University; Heriot Watt University; Britest, UK – RESILIENCE: The UK Medicines Manufacturing Skills Centre of Excellence
Highly commended:
- Catalyst Science Discovery Centre and Museum, UK – Catalyst Science at Work Week
- Whitehouse Consulting, UK – Process Control Training Courses and Engineering Toolkit
Water Award – Supported by IChemE’s Water Special Interest Group
Winner: RSE, UK – m‑MBBR® modular wastewater treatment system
Highly commended:
- National University of Singapore; Beijing Normal University, China – Cryogenic Electrospun Catalytic Membranes for Ultra-efficient Wastewater treatment
- UNSW Sydney, Australia – Enhancing Membrane Bioreactor Validation Protocols for Safer and Smarter Water Reuse
What is chemical engineering?
Chemical, biochemical and process engineering is the application of science, mathematics and economics in the process of turning raw materials into everyday, and more specialist, products. Professional chemical engineers design, construct and manage process operations all over the world. Energy, pharmaceuticals, food and drink, synthetic fibres and clean drinking water are just some of the industry sectors and products where chemical engineering plays a central role.
IChemE
The Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) advances chemical engineering's contribution for the benefit of society. We facilitate the development of chemical engineering professionals and provide connections to a powerful network of around 32,000 members in more than 100 countries.
We support our members in applying their expertise and experience to make an influential contribution to solving major global challenges, and are the only organisation permitted to award Chartered Chemical Engineer status and Professional Process Safety Engineer registration.