Six New Research Projects under the Elkartek 2026 Programme

BCMaterials will participate in six new projects funded by the Basque Government under the Elkartek 2026 Programme. The projects cover the centre’s four main research areas: environmental materials, health-related materials, energy generation and storage, and digital technologies. Below is a brief overview of each initiative.

CICe2026: Solid-State Batteries

CICe2026 aims to research and develop a new generation of hybrid solid-state batteries combining advanced ceramic and polymer materials in the electrolyte. These batteries will be designed for stationary energy storage, helping to provide greater flexibility to high-capacity electricity grids and supporting the electrification of industrial processes.

CO2PTURE: CO₂ Capture and Valorisation

CO2PTURE seeks to support the decarbonisation of strategic industrial sectors, including the steel and chemical industries. To achieve this, the project will develop carbon capture, utilisation and storage technologies—known as CCUS—that can capture CO₂ from industrial emissions and convert it into sustainable materials for use in industrial coatings.

ENHARPE2: Energy-Autonomous Sensors

Building on the previous ENHARPE project, ENHARPE2 will investigate systems capable of harvesting energy from renewable sources and converting it into electricity, helping low-power devices become energy self-sufficient. The project will focus on printed electronics and functional components. It will study five main types of energy transducers: radiofrequency, solar, piezoelectric, triboelectric and thermoelectric. Particular attention will be paid to developing more efficient and sustainable materials.

GREENCHIP: A New Paradigm for Microfluidics

GREENCHIP aims to generate new knowledge and develop strategies for automating and standardising the design and manufacture of microfluidic devices. The growing global demand for microfluidic systems, particularly in healthcare, offers an opportunity to make their production more systematic and scalable. This could reduce costs, improve reproducibility and functional performance, and accelerate the transfer of microfluidic technologies from research laboratories to industry and the market.

IRAUBAT: Circular and Long-Lasting Batteries

IRAUBAT aims to reduce both the dependence on critical raw materials used in lithium-ion batteries and the environmental impact associated with them. The project will explore sustainable manufacturing, reuse, remanufacturing and recycling strategies to extend the service life of battery components and close the materials loop.

PRISMA2: Smart Photonics

Photonic sensors enable the rapid, remote and non-destructive measurement of chemical, structural and morphological properties. However, their industrial adoption remains limited by high costs, insufficient robustness, integration challenges, the need for continuous calibration and the lack of artificial intelligence models capable of performing reliably under different operating conditions. PRISMA2 will develop printable, multimodal photonic sensors capable of measuring across different wavelengths. These sensors will be designed for materials analysis, with the aim of reducing costs and facilitating their integration into industrial processes and diagnostic systems.

In line with the collaborative nature of the Elkartek programme, BCMaterials will work alongside numerous organisations from the Basque Science, Technology and Innovation Network.

The participating partners include BERC research centres such as BCAM and POLYMAT; technology centres including Tecnalia, Tekniker, Gaiker, CEIT and Vicomtech; cooperative research centres such as CIC nanoGUNE and CIC energiGUNE; universities including the University of the Basque Country (EHU), the University of Deusto and Mondragon University; and sectoral organisations such as the Aclima cluster.