The role and challenges of rare earths in the energy transition

Lisa Depraiter and Stephane Goutte

Resources Policy, 2023, vol. 86, issue PB

Abstract: The energy transition from fossil fuel energy to low-carbon energy is mineral intensive. Among the required minerals rare earth elements (REEs) are core components of clean energy technologies such as wind turbines and electric vehicles. This article focuses on the relationship between rare earth elements and the energy transition, while discussing demand and supply of these critical minerals in the energy transition process. We investigate the challenges regarding current and future supply of REEs for low-carbon technologies. The stakes and challenges are numerous between the Chinese quasi-monopoly, the absence of equivalent substitutes, the low recycling rates or even the environmental damage linked to the extraction and the production process. In the face of these issues, we propose concrete recommendations and policies in order to meet the ecological challenge of the energy transition and to ensure a reliable future supply.

Keywords: Rare earths; Energy transition; Supply; Renewable; Wind turbines; Electric vehicles; China; Environment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301420723008486
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jrpoli:v:86:y:2023:i:pb:s0301420723008486

DOI: 10.1016/j.resourpol.2023.104137

Access Statistics for this article

Resources Policy is currently edited by R. G. Eggert

More articles in Resources Policy from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().