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This video captures highlights from the event “Building and Operating Circular Gigafactories in Europe”, bringing together industry leaders and experts to discuss how Europe can advance sustainable and competitive battery manufacturing.


Hosted by CIDETEC Energy Storage at Naturklima within the framework of the EU-funded GIGABAT project, the event focused on circularity, digitalisation, operational excellence, and recycling across the battery value chain.


The video features scenes from the event along with key contributions from Lucas Moreno, GIGABAT Project Coordinator, Joan González from BEPA, and Yannick Molméret from Verkor, who share insights on the future of circular gigafactories and Europe’s battery ecosystem.

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By Dr. Oscar Miguel | Deputy Director at CIDETEC Energy Storage

Europe stands at a crossroads. It must do its homework to maintain its position as a social, technological and industrial benchmark on the international stage. To achieve this objective, Europe must commit to combining competitiveness with sustainability, with the energy transition as the central pillar. This inevitably leads to the debate on batteries as a key enabling technology.

This perspective was already taking shape in 2017 when, in response to the anticipated surge in battery demand, the European Battery Alliance (EBA) was launched with a package of measures designed to enable Europe to capture its rightful share of the value chain. Almost ten years later, the situation has evolved quite differently from what was expected, making it necessary to adjust course.

On 23 October 2025, the A Battery Deal for Europe was presented in Brussels, jointly proposed by the associations BEPA and RECHARGE. The document sets out a proposed course of action for Europe aimed at opening debate across four fronts: Innovate, Produce, Buy and Secure, with a range of technological, industrial and regulatory measures, among others, all viewed through the lens of safeguarding Europe’s strategic, industrial and technological autonomy on the global stage.

One of the successes of the measures originally promoted by the EBA was the creation in Europe of the public–private battery partnership Batt4EU, conceived by BEPA (Batteries European Partnership Association), representing the private sector’s vision, together with the European Commission. BEPA’s activity within the Batt4EU framework has helped establish technological priorities, align efforts and foster a strong pan-European industrial and technological ecosystem in batteries.

From an innovation perspective, at CIDETEC Energy Storage we consider it essential that this initiative continues within the next European research framework programme currently under negotiation, through an expanded Batt4EU 2.0, addressing all sectors that will require batteries, covering the entire value chain and all Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs). This is precisely one of the core elements under the Innovate pillar of the Battery Deal for Europe, which must underpin Europe’s technological and industrial competitiveness for the benefit of its strategic autonomy, the energy transition and sustainability.

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The Printed Electronics Workshop, organized by CIDETEC Surface Engineering, brought together international experts to share the latest advances in printed electronics, a technology that is revolutionizing the industry thanks to its lightness, flexibility, sustainability, and manufacturing efficiency.

Moderated by Egoitz Luis Monasterio, Automotive BDM at CIDETEC Surface Engineering, the event featured representatives from ELANTAS Europe GmbH, PRÖLL GmbH, NIEBLING GmbH, and the Functional Print Cluster, who presented innovations in functional inks, decorative solutions, and high-pressure thermoforming processes for In-Mold Electronics (IME) applications.

The workshop concluded with a visit to the Printed Electronics Hub at CIDETEC Surface Engineering and a live prototype manufacturing demonstration, showcasing the enormous potential of this technology for future industrial applications.

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Printed electronics is emerging as a disruptive technology that is redefining the limits of industrial innovation. Thanks to its multiple advantages, such as weight and cost reduction, the use of flexible substrates, and more agile manufacturing processes, this technology is gaining ground in key sectors such as automotive, home appliances, and healthcare.

For those new to this topic: printed electronics consists of manufacturing electronic devices using printing techniques such as screen printing, inkjet, or other printing methods. It uses functional inks (conductive, semiconductive, and dielectric) on flexible substrates such as PET and PC mainly, but also on biodegradable and more sustainable polymers, allowing for the efficient and sustainable creation of circuits, lighting systems, sensors, and antennas.

Where do we use it?

Automotive

The automotive industry, a leader in the integration of printed electronics into its products, has adopted it to integrate sensors, LED lighting systems, and touch surfaces directly into plastic components. This makes it possible to reduce the number of parts, weight (by up to 70%), and thickness (by up to 80%), improving energy efficiency, competitiveness, and user experience.

Home Appliances

In white goods, printed electronics enables interactive surfaces without mechanical buttons, facilitating cleaner and more functional designs. The integration of sensors and controls directly into plastic panels enhances aesthetics and usability.

Medical Sector

Personalized medicine benefits from flexible biosensors and electronic patches that monitor vital signs in real time. These wearable devices are lightweight, adaptable, and can be produced on a large scale at low cost.

Printed electronics also stands out for its contribution to industrial sustainability:

  • Lower energy consumption: Printing processes require less energy than traditional subtractive methods.
  • Waste reduction: By using only the necessary material, waste is minimized and recycling is facilitated.
  • Eco-friendly materials: Bio-based or water-based inks and more sustainable substrates are being developed, enabling greener electronics.

CIDETEC Surface Engineering: 25 Years of Experience Leading Innovation

CIDETEC Surface Engineering has been working in the field of printed electronics for over 25 years. In 2005, it patented a pioneering sensor technology and has since participated actively in both internal and collaborative projects at national and European levels.

Over the past three years, CIDETEC Surface Engineering has made a significant strategic investment that has consolidated its position as a European benchmark in the field. Its new Printed Electronics HUB is equipped with state-of-the-art systems for integrating electronics into plastic components, including the NIEBLING SAMK 720 high-pressure thermoforming system, the only one of its kind in Spain.

This HUB not only drives advanced research but is also prepared to transfer knowledge and scale solutions to the market, offering companies a technological partner capable of accelerating their competitiveness through functional and sustainable innovation.

Printed electronics is not only transforming products and processes but also redefining how we conceive sustainability in industry. With centers like CIDETEC leading the way, this technology promises to be a cornerstone in the evolution toward smarter, more efficient, and more eco-friendly manufacturing.

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Welcome to the Dry Room Pilot Plant installed at CIDETEC Energy Storage — an innovative space designed for the research, development, and optimization of industrial processes.

Join Iker Boyano, Electrode Manufacturing Pilot Line Team Leader, as he takes us on a tour through the facilities and technical capabilities that turn ideas from the lab into pilot-scale reality.

Among the cutting-edge equipment featured are a high-precision mixer, an advanced coater, and a calender equipped with a thickness sensor — all key to shaping the batteries of the future.

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