Técnicas Reunidas participates in the CHAINERGY project to reduce dependence on critical raw materials and strengthen European energy autonomy

• CHAINERGY will research new materials and advanced processes for energy storage and generation, promoting the circular economy and the recovery of strategic resources. 
• The project is funded by the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI) and supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities through the Missions Science and Innovation 2025 programme.

The CHAINERGY project is a strategic initiative aimed at developing sustainable technological solutions to reduce dependence on critical raw materials (CRM) and advance toward a more resilient energy transition. 

CHAINERGY was created as a response to the challenges established by the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), approved by the Council of the European Union (EU) in March 2024. 

This regulation sets ambitious objectives for 2030, including: extracting at least 10% of critical raw materials within the EU, processing 40% locally, and recycling a minimum of 25%, thereby reducing dependence on third countries and strengthening Europe’s strategic autonomy.

In this context, CHAINERGY aims to develop new active materials and devices for energy storage and generation, promote phosphorus recovery processes, and improve lithium‑ion battery recycling technologies at the end of life. The project follows a clear approach: maximizing the value of available resources, reducing dependence on scarce materials, and fostering circular‑economy models.

CHAINERGY will research alternative materials such as magnesium and manganese silicides, which are abundant, cost‑effective, and have a lower environmental impact, for the production of thermoelectric generators (TEG). These materials could replace bismuth, tellurium or lead, which pose economic, geopolitical, and environmental challenges, thus positioning Europe in a key technology for sectors such as automotive and aerospace industries— within a global market expected to exceed $1.4 billion by 2030. 

The project also focuses on new dry‑synthesis routes for developing advanced battery materials, reducing waste generation, and replacing critical materials such as cobalt or lithium with more readily available alternatives.

Within CHAINERGY, Técnicas Reunidas will drive the development of technologies for phosphorus recovery from sewage sludge and agro‑industrial waste, generating high‑value‑added products that promote the circular economy and reduce geopolitical dependence on phosphorus, considered a strategic resource.

Furthermore, CHAINERGY will develop advanced technologies for safe disassembly and automated sorting, using artificial vision and computed tomography to access valuable materials in batteries efficiently and sustainably, improving recycling processes and traceability.

The CHAINERGY project is led by HI IBERIA and includes Técnicas Reunidas, FERROGLOBE, Empresarios Agrupados, RIMSA, and AUTLAN. In addition, several leading technological centres—LEITAT, CENIM, CIAE, and ICMM‑CSIC—will participate, contributing complementary scientific expertise. Collaboration among these entities will make it possible to comprehensively address all project challenges.

The project has a duration of 4 years and a total budget of €5,264,910, with Técnicas Reunidas contributing an investment of €1,222,876. 

CHAINERGY represents a strategic commitment for Spain and the EU as a whole, contributing to a more sustainable, competitive, and resilient energy transition based on innovation, circular‑economy principles, and reduced external dependencies.

Funded by CDTI Project ID: MIG-20251016