From emissions to resources: mitigating the critical raw material supply chain vulnerability of renewable energy technologies

Jan Mertens, Jo Dewulf, Christian Breyer, Ronnie Belmans, Corinne Gendron, Patrice Geoffron, Luc Goossens, Carolyn Fischer, Elodie Du Fornel, Katharine Hayhoe, Katsu Hirose, Elodie Le Cadre-Loret, Richard Lester, Fanny Maigné, Habibou Maitournam (), Paulo Emilio Valadão de Miranda, Peter Verwee, Olivier Sala, Michael Webber and Koenraad Debackere
Additional contact information
Jan Mertens: UGent - Universiteit Gent = Ghent University = Université de Gand
Jo Dewulf: UGent - Universiteit Gent = Ghent University = Université de Gand
Christian Breyer: LUT - Lappeenranta–Lahti University of Technology [Finlande]
Ronnie Belmans: ESAT/SCD-COSIC - Department of Electrical Engineering - K.U.Leuven - KU Leuven - Catholic University of Leuven = Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Corinne Gendron: CEREFIGE - Centre Européen de Recherche en Economie Financière et Gestion des Entreprises - UL - Université de Lorraine
Patrice Geoffron: LEDa - Laboratoire d'Economie de Dauphine - IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement - Université Paris Dauphine-PSL - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Luc Goossens: ENGIE
Carolyn Fischer: WBG = GBM - World Bank Group = Groupe Banque Mondiale
Elodie Du Fornel: ENGIE
Katharine Hayhoe: TTU - Texas Tech University [Lubbock], The Nature Conservancy
Elodie Le Cadre-Loret: ENGIE
Richard Lester: MIT - Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Fanny Maigné: ENGIE
Habibou Maitournam: LMS - Laboratoire de Mécanique des Solides - X - École polytechnique - IP Paris - Institut Polytechnique de Paris - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, ISIA - Institut Supérieur d'Informatique et d'Automatique - Mines Paris - PSL (École nationale supérieure des mines de Paris) - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres, IMSIA - Institut des Sciences de la Mécanique et Applications Industrielles - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - EDF R&D - EDF R&D - EDF [E.D.F.] - EDF – Électricité de France - ENSTA - École Nationale Supérieure de Techniques Avancées - IP Paris - Institut Polytechnique de Paris
Paulo Emilio Valadão de Miranda: UFRJ - Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro [Brasil] = Federal University of Rio de Janeiro [Brazil] = Université fédérale de Rio de Janeiro [Brésil]
Peter Verwee: ENGIE
Olivier Sala: ENGIE
Michael Webber: University of Texas at Austin [Austin]
Koenraad Debackere: KU Leuven - Catholic University of Leuven = Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

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Abstract: The massive deployment of clean energy technologies plays a vital role in the strategy to attain carbon neutrality by 2050 and allow subsequent negative CO2 emissions in order to achieve our climate goals. An emerging challenge, known as ‘From Emissions to Resources,' highlights the signifcant increase in demand for critical raw materials (CRMs) in clean energy technologies. Despite the presence of ample geological reserves, ensuring sustainable access to these materials is crucial for the successful transition to clean energy, taking into account the environmental and social impacts. The commentary centers on four renewable energy technologies namely solar photovoltaics, wind turbines, Li-ion batteries, and water electrolysers. Four pathways for mitigation are quantitatively examined to assess their potential in reducing the vulnerability of the CRM supply chain for these four clean energy technologies: (i) Enhancing material efciency, (ii) employing substitutivity strategies, (iii) exploring recycling prospects, and (iv) promoting relocalisation initiatives. It is important to note that no single mitigation lever can completely eliminate the risk of CRM supply, rather the accelerated adoption of all four levers is necessary to minimize the CRM supply risk to its absolute minimum. Hence, the study underscores the signifcance of increased research, innovation, and regulatory initiatives, along with raising social awareness, in efectively addressing the challenges faced by the CRM supply chain and contributing to a sustainable energy transition.

Keywords: Water electrolysis; Hydrogen; Batteries; Energy storage; Photovoltaics; Wind energy; Renewable energy; Mineral processing; Mining; Materials criticality; Energy transition (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024-02
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Published in Mineral Economics, 2024, 37 (3), pp.669-676. ⟨10.1007/s13563-024-00425-2⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05458200

DOI: 10.1007/s13563-024-00425-2

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