The START project held its third and final evaluation meeting on September 1^st, 2026, at the facilities of consortium partner Thermagy in Alkmaar, the Netherlands.

The meeting brought together the leaders of the project’s seven Work Packages, the Project Officer and the External Evaluator. It provided an opportunity to present and discuss START’s main scientific and technological achievements across the entire value chain, from the identification and recovery of mineral resources from mine waste, ore residues and historical mine sites to the development and demonstration of thermoelectric devices.

A central focus of START was the development of sustainable thermoelectric materials based on tetrahedrite, a mineral with properties that make it particularly relevant for the direct conversion of heat into electricity. The project demonstrated the potential of using tetrahedrite-rich resources recovered from mine waste, ore residues and historical mine sites to produce tellurium-free thermoelectric materials. This approach can help reduce reliance on primary and critical raw materials while supporting more circular and sustainable solutions for energy applications. In this way, START contributed to energy efficiency, the circular economy and the sustainable use of mineral resources.

The meeting featured presentations on the project’s coordination and management activities, alongside the technical results achieved across the value chain. These covered the identification, characterisation and processing of mineral resources from European mine waste and historical mine sites, as well as materials modelling, synthesis, optimisation and characterisation.

Presentations also addressed the integration of tetrahedrite-based materials into thermoelectric devices, prototype performance and demonstration, and the project’s communication, dissemination, exploitation and legacy activities.

Collaboration across the seven Work Packages enabled START to establish an integrated development pathway, linking the valorisation of secondary mineral resources with the production of thermoelectric materials, device manufacturing and the demonstration of prototypes designed for waste heat recovery.

One of the highlights of the meeting was the demonstration of a thermoelectric prototype developed by Thermagy. Holding the meeting at the partner’s facilities provided an opportunity to showcase how the materials and devices developed within START were integrated into a solution for converting waste heat into electricity, highlighting their potential for future applications.

The evaluation examined the extent to which the project’s objectives had been achieved, its main scientific and technological results, the lessons learned and the prospects for further valorisation and exploitation. The feedback received during the meeting was very positive, recognising the quality of the work carried out across the consortium and the progress achieved throughout the project.

A Legacy Beyond the Project

START’s legacy includes the scientific and technological knowledge generated and the demonstration of an integrated value chain extending from the valorisation of mine waste and other secondary mineral resources to the production of tetrahedrite-based materials, the manufacture of thermoelectric devices and the demonstration of prototypes for waste heat recovery.

The project also created structures and tools designed to support continued collaboration, knowledge transfer and the transition of scientific and technological results towards market applications. These include the START European Thermoelectric Systems Ltd. (SETS), the Sustainable Thermoelectric Alliance (STA) and the START Technology Marketplace.

Together, these initiatives aim to connect research organisations, industry and other stakeholders, facilitate the exploitation and uptake of START results, and support the development of a long-term European ecosystem for sustainable thermoelectric technologies.

The final evaluation meeting represented an important milestone in the completion of START. The project’s formal closure remains subject to the review and approval of the final report. Nevertheless, the knowledge, technologies and collaborative structures developed through START provide a strong foundation for continued research, technological development and market-oriented applications in waste heat recovery and the valorisation of secondary mineral resources.

Explore SETS and the START Technology Marketplace: https://start-sets.eu