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The recently completed iClimabuilt project has validated these high-quality, low-cost solutions through various full-scale demonstrators across Europe

The European project I-climabuilt has concluded after four years of research with significant advances in the field of building envelope materials. Funded by the European Commission with over €16 million, the project aimed to move closer to the goal of near-zero emissions for new constructions, in line with the EU’s energy efficiency targets.

CIDETEC Surface Engineering has successfully developed high-quality, low-cost omniphobic coatings designed to reduce maintenance, improve insulation and comfort in buildings, extend the lifespan of various materials, and enhance the performance of photovoltaic installations.

Additionally, CIDETEC has refined its pilot plant for omniphobic coatings, moving toward greater industrial adoption of these solutions and strengthening its role within the iClimabuilt innovation ecosystem. These coatings have been automatically and precisely applied to various substrates—window glass, cement, PLA, or photovoltaic glass—and subsequently validated under real conditions in buildings located in Dresden (Germany), Trondheim (Norway), Turin (Italy), and the Spanish cities of Manresa and Amposta.

The consortium brought together a group of 16 research centers and 11 SMEs with extensive experience and complementary profiles, generating a significant collective legacy: the improvement of 9 pilot lines and 5 Living Labs distributed across different climate zones, the validation of 7 full-scale demonstration cases, the incorporation of external innovation through 8 Open Call projects, the launch of the SEP (Single Entry Point) platform to facilitate access for industry stakeholders, and the creation of the joint venture WiseClimaBuild, which will ensure the continuity and impact of the project’s advances beyond its lifetime.

By scaling up the production of next-generation, porous CRM-free electrodes from laboratory research to an industrially relevant pilot line

What if the biggest barrier to affordable green hydrogen is not only the materials used, but how they are manufactured? CIDETEC Surface Engineering has taken a decisive step toward solving this challenge. Within the framework of the EU-funded NICKEFFECT Project, the research centre has successfully scaled the production of next-generation, porous, CRM-free electrodes from the laboratory to an industrially relevant pilot line — a critical milestone for the commercialization of green hydrogen technologies.

Green hydrogen is key to achieving the EU’s 2050 carbon neutrality targets, yet its production remains two to three times more expensive than hydrogen derived from fossil fuels. A significant factor is the reliance on Critical Raw Materials (CRMs) such as platinum and iridium, which can account for more than half of the cost of an electrolyzer stack. Reducing this dependency is at the heart of NICKEFFECT’s mission.

This breakthrough addresses the often-overlooked bottleneck: moving from scientific discovery to industrial production. Key highlights of the achievement include:

– Advanced electrodeposition techniques supported by electrochemical process models (in collaboration with Elsyca) enabling scalable manufacturing.
– Validation of high efficiencies observed in the laboratory (in collaboration with the Autonomous University of Barcelona), now successfully replicated at pilot scale.
– Protection of the innovation through a patent, securing the technological leap from research to real-world implementation.

This achievement demonstrates that sustainable, CRM-free alternatives can be produced at scale, paving the way for more affordable, resilient, and commercially viable green hydrogen.

With this milestone in NICKEFFECT, CIDETEC Surface Engineering reaffirms that the future of energy is not only about breakthrough inventions, but also about making them happen at industrial scale.

Coordinated by CIDETEC Surface Engineering, the project has demonstrated how a low-value waste stream such as chicken feathers can become a sustainable raw material for bio-based agricultural products.

Four years of innovation come to a close, paving the way for continued impact in the bioeconomy sector

The UNLOCK project, funded by the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU) and launched in May 2021, officially concluded with a successful final event showcasing four years of pioneering work in feather valorisation. Coordinated by CIDETEC Surface Engineering , the project has demonstrated how a low-value waste stream such as chicken feathers can become a sustainable raw material for bio-based agricultural products.

The European poultry industry produces around 3.6 million tons of feathers each year which are considered a waste or used for low value-added applications. UNLOCK has addressed the challenge of transforming feathers into a valuable raw material by applying three innovative processing technologies: mechanical grinding, steam explosion and microbial fermentation to convert feathers into biodegradable materials tailored to agricultural use. These include the development of feather-based seed trays, mulch films, nonwoven geotextiles, and hydroponic foams (find all the details of these products and processes on the UNLOCK solutions booklet).

On 26 March 2025, in Donostia/San Sebastian, the final event brought together project partners, policymakers, and stakeholders across the bioeconomy value chain to discuss results and future applications. Participants in person and online could learn about Circular Bioeconomy & EU Policy Innovation in Agriculture with presentations from CBE JU representatives, NEIKER and the UNLOCK partners. A roundtable discussion and an exhibition area enabled exchanges and dialogue among the attendees and the showcasing of prototypes developed by the consortium.

“In UNLOCK, we have shown that feathers are far from mere waste —they are, in fact, a valuable resource with the potential to enrich and bring added value to the primary sector.” – said Sarah Montes from CIDETEC Surface Engineering, coordinator of UNLOCK.

With the collaboration of 15 partners from 8 countries, including RTOs, SMEs, industry and cluster organisations, UNLOCK successfully integrated sustainability, innovation and an exploitation roadmap into its results.

As the project ends, its impact continues thanks to the market potential, the clusters developed and interested in the sector, and the demonstrated prototypes of the UNLOCK materials. As noted during the final conference, this is not the end but a new beginning for sustainable materials development in agriculture.

For more information about the UNLOCK project and results is available at www.unlock-project.eu and through its social media channels: Twitter @UNLOCK_BBI and LinkedIn UNLOCK_project.

The UNLOCK project has received funding of €5 million from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement nº 101023306. It officially started on 1 May 2021 and will run until April 2025.

The consortium was composed of 4 Research and Technology Organisations (CIDETEC (ES) – coordinator of the project, ŁUKASIEWICZ Research Network-Institute of Biopolymers and Chemical Fibres (PL), AIMPLAS (ES), RISE Processum (SE)), 8 SMEs (Terra Aquatica (FR), Bioextrax AB (SE), Bio-Mi društvo sa ograničenom odgovornoču (HR), TECNOPackaging (ES), FARRELLY & MITCHELL (IE), Normec OWS (BE), ACUDAM (ES)), 2 Clusters (UNIMOS Alliance (PL), Greenovate! Europe EEIG (BE)) and GE! Member ATLANTIS Environment & Innovation (CY), and 1 large industry (CEDROB S.A. (PL)).

CIDETEC Surdace Engineering advances circular composites with high-thermal-stability vitrimers through european collaboration

Aviation is on the verge of a major transformation: The European research project TOSCA is pioneering new ways to make aircraft more environmentally friendly. The goal is to develop new sustainable processes that enhance both the efficiency of producing modern high-tech materials — so-called composites — and their recyclability. These materials are essential for building lighter, more fuel-efficient aircraft. With a budget of over €4.5 million from the Horizon Europe program, TOSCA brings together leading research institutions and industry partners. By 2027, they aim to develop solutions that will help reduce aviation’s environmental footprint—an important step toward more climate-friendly flying for all of us.

The Challenge: Composite Recycling in Aerospace

Fibre reinforced composite materials are essential for lightweight, fuel-efficient aircraft, but their recycling remains a major challenge. Currently, less than 15% of composite materials are recycled, with the rest either landfilled or incinerated. There are still unresolved challenges on the production side as well. Oftentimes, more waste than useful material is produced in established production processes. Since carbon fibre composite materials are derived from petroleum-based precursors, unused waste directly translates into additional CO2 emissions every year. As the aerospace industry moves toward greater sustainability, new technologies are needed to remedy these shortcomings while maintaining high performance.

Fibre reinforced composite materials are essential for lightweight, fuel-efficient aircraft, but their recycling remains a major challenge. Currently, less than 15% of composite materials are recycled, with the rest either landfilled or incinerated. There are still unresolved challenges on the production side as well. Oftentimes, more waste than useful material is produced in established production processes. Since carbon fibre composite materials are derived from petroleum-based precursors, unused waste directly translates into additional CO2 emissions every year. As the aerospace industry moves toward greater sustainability, new technologies are needed to remedy these shortcomings while maintaining high performance.

TOSCA aims to develop a new processing chain for composites made with epoxy vitrimer resin, a next-generation material that maintains the strength and durability of traditional composites while significantly improving recyclability. Unlike conventional resins, which are permanently hardened after curing, vitrimer resin can be made soft again using heat and pressure, making repairs faster and extending the life cycle of components. At the end of their lifespan, these materials can be safely chemically recycled or be reshaped and given new purpose in a different application, paving the way for a truly circular composite economy. The project will also develop a highly automated manufacturing process chain tailored to the new composite materials. With the inclusion of integrated inspection systems, allowing for automated quality control and digital process monitoring, the project aims to create a zero-defect manufacturing process, optimizing material usage.

Partner Contributions: A Collaborative Effort for Sustainability

Project TOSCA unites leading research institutions and industry partners across Europe, each bringing their own expertise to tackle the challenges of composite manufacturing and recycling. PROFACTOR, as both project coordinator and technology provider, is spearheading efforts in automation, AI-driven inspection, and digitalization to develop smart manufacturing processes that enhance quality, efficiency, and sustainability.

CIDETEC Surface Engineering will formulate and develop an advanced epoxy vitrimer resin with high thermal stability. This innovative material will significantly enhance the composite’s repairability and recyclability, while maintaining the mechanical strength and durability of conventional composites. CIDETEC’s contribution is crucial to enabling a circular approach in composite usage, aligning high-performance requirements with sustainability goals.

The other partners, GMI Aero (France), FIDAMC (Spain), AIMEN (Spain), ITA (Spain), ÉireComposites (Ireland) and Addcomposites (Finland), are contributing specialized knowledge in their area of expertise to ensure TOSCA’s success. By the end of the project, the TOSCA consortium aims to deliver a fully optimized, sustainable manufacturing process that will shape the future of aerospace composites—reducing waste, lowering emissions, and increasing Europe’s strategic autonomy in advanced materials. Stay tuned as we take the next steps toward a more sustainable aerospace industry.

Stay tuned as we take the next steps toward a more sustainable aerospace industry.

This project is entirely funded by the European Union, under the topic HORIZON-CL5-2024-D5-01-08 of the Horizon Europe Framework Programme (HORIZON), grant number 101191394. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

Learn more about TOSCA: https://www.tosca-project.eu