Advanced chemical energy conversion, storage and transportation will play a key role in enabling the EU to develop a low-carbon economy and provide more flexibility. As such, increasing the exploitation of natural gas, stranded resources and biogas is creating new opportunities for the utilisation of low cost light alkanes. High value can be added through improved catalytic transformations to C2-C4 olefins, C-C coupling and/or C1 chemistry together with significant impact towards the climate action targets agreed in COP21. The integration of catalysts and process design will be instrumental in creating process improvements and flexibility as well as tackle the global climate challenges.