Renewable Carbon Initiative

The Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI) is an industry association founded in September 2020 by the nova-Institut für politische und ökologische Innovation GmbH, a German research institute based in Hürth specializing in sustainability, bioeconomy, and renewable carbon since the mid-1990s.

RCI unites over 60 member companies—including brands, suppliers, SMEs, research institutes, and startups—from the chemicals and materials sectors. Its mission is to accelerate the defossilisation of organic chemicals and materials by replacing fossil carbon (from coal, oil, and natural gas) with renewable carbon sources: biomass, carbon capture and utilisation (CCU), and recycling.

The nova-Institut serves as RCI's administrative office and scientific backbone, providing research, policy analysis, market studies, life cycle assessments, and consulting to support the transition to a carbon-neutral circular economy in the chemical industry. RCI activities include working groups on labelling, policy, recycling, and sustainability; publishing scientific reports and position papers; and advocating for supportive regulations to achieve full substitution of fossil carbon by 2050.