The START Project (Sustainable Energy Harvesting Systems Based on Innovative Mine Waste Recycling) is an EU-funded initiative under the Horizon Europe Programme. It aims to create sustainable, tellurium-free thermoelectric systems for harvesting waste heat, using secondary raw materials sourced from mining waste within the European Union.
By collecting and repurposing waste sulphides from deactivated mine dumps and tailings, START offers an innovative solution to reduce resource dependency, align with the European Green Deal objectives, and promote a circular economy.
The project’s primary goal is to develop sustainable and economically viable thermoelectric technologies for applications in heavy industry, maritime sectors, and as power sources for off-grid sensors and IoT devices.