Topic 2
Materials for energy conversion

This topic supports the development and deployment of advanced materials and processes that accelerate the energy transition across generation, conversion and mobility. Projects should bring together materials discovery (including in silico and high‑throughput screening), novel active components for electrolyzers, fuel cells and photovoltaics, and disruptive concepts for energy harvesting (photoelectrochemical, thermoelectric, triboelectric, piezoelectric, etc). Emphasis is placed on substituting critical and hazardous raw materials, designing lightweight solutions for clean mobility, and creating scalable, low‑impact routes for sustainable e‑fuels. Circularity is embedded via measurable strategies for disassembly, recovery and second‑life use, ensuring that technological advances translate into demonstrable environmental and socio‑economic benefits.

The proposals should address at least one of the following objectives:

• Development of materials for electrolyzers and fuel cells.
• Optimization of active materials for photovoltaics.
• Investigation of new material concepts for efficient energy harvesting, including wind energy, hydroelectric energy, ocean energy, thermoelectric, triboelectric, piezoelectric, chemical, photothermal, photoelectrochemical, thermionic, bioenergy, or other technologies.
• Application of innovative materials and processes for sustainable e-fuels production (e.g. ammonia, biodiesel, sustainable aviation fuels (SAF)…).
• Development of lightweight materials for clean mobility.

Inclusion of one or more of the following cross-cutting aspects would be considered a strength:

• In situ and/or in operando experimental data mining.
• Implementation of in silico and/or high-throughput screening approaches for new energy conversion materials. The development of these tools, that include Machine Learning (ML) approaches, will be positively considered if properly integrated within the project.
• Proposals are sought that deliver demonstrable added value to the field of materials standardisation; substantiated by clear, measurable impacts and documented engagement with pertinent standardisation bodies.

• Reduction and replacement of Critical Raw Materials (CRM) and/or hazardous materials with alternative new materials in energy related products or processes
• Improving the circularity of energy conversion materials and processes (e.g. dissembling, recovery, second-life, sustainable-by-design…) by using measurable approaches.

• Development of additive manufacturing (AM) strategies for advanced energy conversion that enable improved performance and reduced waste.

Project implementation could be further enhanced by fostering collaboration between academia, society, industry, and relevant stakeholders to strengthen the whole innovation chain.

Proposals should address how they will contribute to the expected impact of the topic, addressing at least two of the following aspects:

• Improvement of energy conversion devices in terms of overall performance and longer lifetime.
• Reduction of transport emissions via the development of e-fuels and/or lightweight materials through the integration into vehicles (increasing power-to-weight ratio).
• Progressive substitution of CRMs and toxic components with abundant, safer alternatives that lowers the supply‑chain risk across designing, manufacturing and end‑of‑life.

All proposals should clearly state the TRL at the project start and at the project end (see 1.5.). The proposals should include a plan for the transition to higher TRLs at a later stage (i.e. beyond the project end date). Establishing an industrial and societal advisory board or the participation of one or more companies in the project consortium is encouraged. In proposals targeting TRL 4 or above, industrial partners and at least one project partner specialised on customer or end-user demands should be involved in the project consortium. 

M-ERA.NET requires that all proposers explain how their projects demonstrate a commitment to RRI by investigating and addressing the environmental, social, ethical, political, or cultural dimensions of the proposed research:

In line with the M-ERA.NET RRI annex, proposals should consider the following points:

• Resources: the use of resources overall, the environmental properties of the materials, the use of critical raw materials, energy, water, etc.
• Green-production-processes: use of environmentally friendly solvents, avoiding hazardous elements, substances of concern, minimizing energy and water consumption during production and preserving worker’s health
• Use phase: the sustainability of the conditions under which the material can be used (continuous energy use, releases to the environment, life span, etc.)
• End of life: the entry of the material into the circular economy, including re-use, remanufacturing or recycling considerations. Describe any potential trade-offs between sustainability burdens and benefits.
• Involvement of relevant societal stakeholders as appropriate. Describe any potential trade-offs between sustainability burdens and benefits.

Proposals should describe potential trade-offs between sustainability burdens and benefits, and include an activity where relevant aspects are further investigated, potentially with corresponding impacts on the design of the material(s).

This topic is targeted at all groups in the innovation chain: disruptive, applied research, industrial research and development. In proposals targeting TRL 4 and higher, industrial partners and at least one project partner specialised on customer or end-user demands should be involved in the project consortium Collaboration between research entities and industrial partners is encouraged at lower TRLs.

Projects submitted to this Topic should choose at least 3 keywords from the following list:

Circularity of materials and devices; Clean mobility; CRM substitution; Devices stability; Electrolysers; Energy efficiency; E-fuels; Fuel cells; Hydroelectric energy; Lightweight materials; Life Cycle Assessment (LCA); Modelling / Simulations; Ocean energy; Photovoltaics; Piezoelectric materials; Power to X; Thermoelectric; Triboelectric (X-electric); Wind energy.

General keywords (KWs) (such as Additive manufacturing / 3D printing; Durability; Nanomaterials; Recyclability…) and Additional KWs (free text) can also be chosen in the submission platform. The ensemble of the keywords should allow for an overview of the scope of the project (consider describing different aspects of the project such as: main scientific area / domain, system / property / material of interest, applications / objectives and pertinent procedures / techniques).