As Europe’s largest low-carbon energy research community, European Energy Research Alliance brings together more than 250 organisations across over 30 countries to advance a sustainable, resilient, and competitive European energy system. Guided by the conviction that research and innovation must sit at the core of Europe’s energy transition, EERA works to catalyse low-carbon energy research in support of science-based policymaking and world-class innovation. In this context, we welcome the Commission’s forthcoming Advanced Materials (AMs) Act, which aims to strengthen Europe’s competitiveness and strategic autonomy through AMs development and deployment.  

Advanced Materials as enablers of the Clean Energy Transition

Advanced Materials (AMs) are fundamental to Europe’s clean energy transition, underpinning a wide range of essential technologies.

For example:

• Photo- and electro-catalysts for CO₂ conversion and green hydrogen production support emissions reduction.
• Stimuli-responsive materials for smart windows, sensors and soft robotics enhance energy efficiency.
• Magnetic materials play a central role in electrification across transport, industry, and consumer applications.
• Advanced nuclear and other structural materials capable of operating under extreme conditions remain indispensable for nuclear energy, concentrated solar power, bioenergy, and hydrogen technologies.

Accelerating the transition from research to industry

We believe that the Advanced Materials Act must primarily address ongoing challenges related to market access, commercialisation, and industrial uptake of AMs research. To accelerate the transition from “lab to fab”, we recommend the creation and support of intermediate bodies dedicated to scaling research outcomes. To this end, the Act should engage industrial sectors with high raw materials needs, such as steelmaking, to improve research-to-industry integration while enabling testing of AMs in suitable environments, including (fast neutron) irradiation to achieve innovative solutions taking measured risks.

Closing gaps across Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs)

Our analysis identifies persistent gaps across all TRLs, with a particularly critical bottleneck between TRL 3–4 and TRL 6–7. However, it is important to close these gaps in order to boost and safeguard Europe’s innovation and competitiveness. Demonstration activities across TRL 4–8, including forging, tubing, welding and additive manufacturing for nuclear and high-temperature components, require sustained support and investment. Such demonstration projects should be designed with long operational lifetimes, be scientifically supervised and allow optimisation during operation, adapting materials to real-world conditions and testing alternatives, including those relying on fewer Critical Raw Materials. EERA hence calls for funding a limited number of large-scale collaborative initiatives, including Strategic Material Demonstrator Projects, alongside direct funding, targeted tax measures and subsidies to support the Advanced Materials value chain.

Strengthening governance, infrastructure and standardisation

Policy support should be reinforced through a stronger role for the Technology Council for Advanced Materials, facilitating best-practice exchange, resolving bottlenecks and improving coordination across the innovation chain. Faster validation, certification, and standardisation processes will further accelerate the uptake of innovation, as will access to high-quality research infrastructures, (fast neutron) irradiation facilities, specialised equipment and EU-wide testing and manufacturing facilities, which are key especially for start-ups and SMEs.

Strengthening digitalisation, cross-border collaboration and regulatory innovation

Cross-border collaboration and digitalisation, including High Performance Computing and Artificial Intelligence, should be further strengthened to enhance R&I in Advanced Materials across the EU. Regulatory sandboxes for materials innovation should be expanded for controlled testing, while innovation zones could support early design and licensing experimentation and benchmarking, aligning innovation with sustainability and safety requirements. 

Ensuring sustainability, skills and long-term coherence

Finally, the Act should promote circularity and sustainability through recycling, reuse and alternatives to hazardous materials. Investment in human capital, including skills development, interdisciplinary training and international exchanges, remains essential to support the deployment of emerging materials that meet societal needs. Clear monitoring, based on robust indicators and aligned with existing and forthcoming frameworks—including the Euratom Research Framework, SNETP/ESNII, STEP, the EU Innovation Act and Framework Programme 10—is vital to ensure coherence and maximise impact.