In a context marked by rising energy costs, the transition away from fossil fuels and increasing pressure to decarbonize industrial processes, Cetim has released its March 2026 Best‑of Technology Watch, highlighting a selection of innovative technologies directly addressing today’s major energy and sustainability challenges.
This new publication brings together forward‑looking studies and industrial use cases that illustrate how alternative technologies, advanced manufacturing approaches and data‑driven solutions can help industry reduce energy dependence, cut emissions and improve overall efficiency while maintaining high levels of performance and competitiveness.
Key Highlights
- Ammonia as an alternative fuel for industrial heating systems, reducing reliance on natural gas
- Next‑generation hydrogen storage with lighter, linerless Type 5 tanks
- Artificial intelligence and Big Data applied to industrial processes to enhance performance and efficiency
- Power‑to‑X technologies converting CO₂ and hydrogen into synthetic fuels (e‑methane, e‑methanol, e‑SAF)
- Disruptive manufacturing models for electric vehicles, improving productivity and scalability
Among the energy‑focused innovations featured is the use of ammonia as a substitute for natural gas in industrial heating systems.
Ammonia (NH₃) can be burned directly in air or in an oxygen‑enriched mixture using dedicated burners. It can also be cracked to generate hydrogen, which is then used in compatible burners. This enables a reduction in fossil fuel consumption to a minimum while delivering high heating rates for industrial processes, an attractive option, provided that flame speed, radiative heat flux and pollutant nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions are properly controlled.
–> Benefit from our mechanical engineering center of excellence dedicated to the development of new energy carriers. A unique platform for the characterization and qualification of materials, components, and seals under extreme conditions (high pressure, high temperature, cryogenic conditions, gas quality, etc.), covering the full range of requirements from hydrogen to natural gas.
Hydrogen technologies are also a key focus of this edition
Type 5 hydrogen tanks are presented as a major technological breakthrough compared with existing Type 4 solutions. Unlike previous generations that rely on a gas‑tight polymer liner to support carbon‑fiber winding, Type 5 tanks feature a linerless architecture, where mechanical strength is provided entirely by the composite shell. A non‑structural internal barrier ensures gas tightness, enabling reduced weight, improved mechanical uniformity and simplified design.
–> Discover how Cetim supports Innovation through a New Path to High-Performance Cryogenic Tank Domes!
Highlight of Metal AI solution
This solution developed by TVARIT leverages artificial intelligence and Big Data to improve the performance of high‑pressure die‑casting operations, demonstrating how digital technologies can contribute to more efficient and competitive industrial processes.
–> Beyond generative AI, AI-based solutions are already in use at various stages of the industrial cycle: design, cost estimation, manufacturing, quality control, maintenance of production equipment, ….
The Best‑of also showcases a solution developed by the French company Khimod, addressing both energy transition and carbon management challenges.
Its technology enables the conversion of CO₂ and hydrogen into synthetic fuels, including e‑methane, e‑methanol and sustainable aviation fuel (e‑SAF). The core of the system is a patented catalytic heat‑exchange reactor, designed and manufactured in‑house, illustrating a robust and scalable approach to Power‑to‑X applications.
In the Electric Vehicles chapter, Cetim’s technology watch extends beyond energy sources to examine manufacturing efficiency.
While Tesla vehicles inherently represent alternatives to gasoline-powered cars, the manufacturer is also transforming production through its “unboxed” manufacturing model. This approach replaces traditional sequential assembly with a modular architecture produced in parallel, significantly increasing the number of simultaneous operations. The result is substantial gains in productivity, scalability and cost efficiency, driven by simplified logistics, gigacasting and optimized industrial flows.
