Objective
Over 60% of the world’s primary energy is dissipated as waste heat across scales—from industrial processes to the human body—representing a vast yet largely untapped heat resource. Developing efficient technologies to harvest this dispersed and low-grade heat is essential for enabling self-powered wearables, IoT devices, and localized energy recovery systems. Thermoelectric and thermo-electrochemical technologies allow direct heat-to-electricity conversion, but their efficiency remains fundamentally limited: electronic thermoelectrics offer continuous power but low thermovoltage; ionic thermoelectrics generate giant thermovoltage but only transient current; thermogalvanic cells operate continuously but suffer from severe resistive losses.
HEAT-BRIDGE introduces the Thermo-electrochemical Bridge Cell (TBC)—a radically new device concept capable of achieving unprecedented heat-to-electricity conversion efficiency. At its core lies a new mechanism that transduces ionic thermovoltage into continuous electronic current, enabled by redox mediators shuttling between mixed ion–electron conductor (MIEC) regions and their associated electronic pathways. This paradigm uniquely unites the exceptional thermovoltage of ionic systems with the efficient charge transport of electronic systems, thereby opening a route to continuous and high-efficiency heat harvesting.
To realize this vision, the project will: i) demonstrate ionic thermovoltage-driven redox process; ii) develop advanced MIEC electrodes and interlayers; iii) build and validate deformable TBC prototypes; iv) model coupled dynamics for understanding and optimization; and v) scale up modules for real heat sources. Together, these efforts will establish a new principle in heat-to-electricity conversion with major impact across materials science and device engineering, and far-reaching implications for energy sustainability, digital health, and the Internet of Things.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2026-STG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
581 83 Linkoping
Sweden
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.