On 27–28 November 2025, the OPINCHARGE consortium met for its Month-30 Project General Meeting at CIDETEC Energy Storage in San Sebastián, Basque Country (Spain). With the project now entering its final six months, the meeting represented a key milestone in the transition from scientific development toward exploitation and impact.

The two-day gathering brought together project partners, work package leaders, and advisory board members to reflect on progress achieved so far, align priorities for the remaining period, and define the strategic direction toward the successful completion of the project.

OPINCHARGE Progress Reports: Project partners presented updates on seven work packages:

• WP1: Project Management and Coordination (Leader: LIST)

• WP2: Interfacial structure and composition dynamics: a multiscale approach (Leader: CNRS)

• WP3: Operando, in-situ, and ex-situ characterization of interfaces using isotopes (Leader: LIST)

• WP4: Methods for low-dose high-speed data acquisition and data treatment (Leader: DFKI)

• WP5: Interface modelling and validation using experimental charge transport characteristics (Leader: DLR)

• WP6: Research Data Management, FAIR principles, Liaison with Battery 2030+ (Leader: CEDETEC)

• WP7: Dissemination, Exploitation & Communication (Leader: PEDAL) 

Aligning on Progress and the Road Ahead

Throughout the meeting, partners reviewed the scientific, technical, and organizational achievements reached across the project. Discussions focused on:

• The maturity of the experimental and modelling frameworks developed so far

• The readiness of results for exploitation and dissemination

• The final steps needed to maximize the project’s scientific and industrial impact

Particular attention was given to strengthening cross-work package integration, ensuring that experimental insights, modelling activities, and interface characterization methods remain closely aligned during the final phase.

From Research Excellence to Exploitation

A central theme of the San Sebastián meeting was the growing shift from fundamental research toward exploitation. As OPINCHARGE approaches its conclusion, the consortium is now prioritizing:

• Identification and consolidation of Key Exploitable Results (KERs)

• Preparation of final scientific publications

• Increased engagement with industrial stakeholders and the Battery2030+ ecosystem

• Targeted dissemination through webinars, workshops, and outreach activities

This strategic shift reflects the project’s ambition to ensure that the knowledge generated within OPINCHARGE extends well beyond the project lifetime.

Lab Tour at CIDETEC Energy Storage

As part of the General Meeting, OPINCHARGE partners also visited the CIDETEC Energy Storage facilities in San Sebastián. The tour provided an overview of the centre’s infrastructure covering the full battery value chain, from materials development and electrode preparation to cell assembly and testing.

The visit helped place OPINCHARGE research into a real industrial context and supported discussions on scalability, manufacturability, and future exploitation of project results. The lab tour also strengthened collaboration between the consortium and CIDETEC as the project enters its final phase.

Strengthening Collaboration Across Europe

The General Meeting also underlined the strength of OPINCHARGE as a pan-European collaborative effort. The consortium benefits from close cooperation between leading research institutes, universities, and technology centers across Europe. Hosting the meeting at CIDETEC Energy Storage further reinforced the project’s strong link to applied research and industry-relevant innovation.

In addition, the ongoing collaboration with sister projects under the Horizon Europe and Battery2030+ framework continues to enhance knowledge exchange and joint dissemination activities.

Entering the Final Six Months

With only six months remaining, OPINCHARGE is now entering its final operational and exploitation-focused phase. The coming period will be dedicated to:

• Final experimental and validation activities

• Completion of modelling and cross-validation work

• Delivery of remaining project milestones and reports

• Translation of research results into long-term scientific, technological, and societal impact

The San Sebastián meeting confirmed that OPINCHARGE is well-positioned to conclude as a high-impact European research project, delivering a unique, integrated understanding of battery interface dynamics and charge transport processes.

Looking Ahead

The results presented and the discussions held during the Month-30 General Meeting demonstrated the strong momentum of the OPINCHARGE consortium as it moves toward the final project milestone. The coming months will focus on consolidating achievements, expanding dissemination, and ensuring sustainable exploitation of results.

More detailed scientific insights from individual work packages will be shared in a dedicated series of follow-up technical articles.