The Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH) is one of the leading research organisations in Southeast Europe, with a long-standing commitment to innovation in chemical processing, energy technologies, and advanced materials. Within its Chemical Process and Energy Resources Institute, CERTH develops and characterises a wide range of chemical processes and materials, with a central focus on energy generation and storage. This expertise places the organisation in a strategic position to contribute significantly to the Horizon Europe HAlMan project.

As part of HAlMan, CERTH provides extensive laboratory capabilities to refine and optimise a processing protocol originally developed by Calix. This work focuses on wet-chemical and calcination methods for the development of novel electrochemical materials. Through this collaboration, CERTH has successfully produced cathodes for Lithium Ion Batteries that surpass commercial benchmark performances, as assessed by Calix. These results represent a notable advancement in sustainable and high-efficiency battery materials.

In parallel, CERTH collaborates closely with Mintek to improve the pretreatment process for manganese ore reduction, enhancing the efficiency and safety of the material preparation steps required in hydrogen-assisted ore reduction. To support this work, CERTH also applies process modelling tools to identify optimal scenarios for waste-heat utilisation within the pre-redcution reaction system—an approach that aligns with the project’s broader goal of reducing energy consumption and environmental impact.

Finally, CERTH conducts comprehensive socio-economic and techno-economic assessments of the various materials and processes developed within HAlMan. These evaluations help ensure that the project’s innovations are not only technically sound but also economically viable and socially beneficial.

Through its combined strengths in chemical processing, material development, and sustainability assessment, CERTH plays an essential role in advancing the HAlMan project’s vision of greener, more resource-efficient metallurgical technologies for Europe’s energy future.