IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/minecn/v37y2024i3d10.1007_s13563-024-00425-2.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

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

Author

Listed:
  • Jan Mertens

    (ENGIE Research
    Ghent University)

  • Jo Dewulf

    (Ghent University)

  • Christian Breyer

    (LUT University)

  • Ronnie Belmans

    (K.U. Leuven
    EnergyVille)

  • Corinne Gendron

    (Université du Québec À Montréal (UQAM))

  • Patrice Geoffron

    (Université Paris Dauphine-PSL)

  • Luc Goossens

    (ENGIE Research)

  • Carolyn Fischer

    (Sustainability and Infrastructure Team, World Bank Group)

  • Elodie Fornel

    (ENGIE Research)

  • Katharine Hayhoe

    (Texas Tech University
    The Nature Conservancy)

  • Katsu Hirose

    (HyWealth CO)

  • Elodie Cadre-Loret

    (ENGIE Research)

  • Richard Lester

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT))

  • Fanny Maigné

    (Simon Bolivarlaan)

  • Habibou Maitournam

    (ENSTA Paristech)

  • Paulo Emilio Valadão Miranda

    (Hydrogen Laboratory at Coppe-Federal University of Rio de Janeiro)

  • Peter Verwee

    (Simon Bolivarlaan)

  • Olivier Sala

    (ENGIE Research)

  • Michael Webber

    (The University of Texas at Austin)

  • Koenraad Debackere

    (KU Leuven)

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 significant 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 efficiency, (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 significance of increased research, innovation, and regulatory initiatives, along with raising social awareness, in effectively addressing the challenges faced by the CRM supply chain and contributing to a sustainable energy transition.

Suggested Citation

  • Jan Mertens & Jo Dewulf & Christian Breyer & Ronnie Belmans & Corinne Gendron & Patrice Geoffron & Luc Goossens & Carolyn Fischer & Elodie Fornel & Katharine Hayhoe & Katsu Hirose & Elodie Cadre-Loret, 2024. "From emissions to resources: mitigating the critical raw material supply chain vulnerability of renewable energy technologies," Mineral Economics, Springer;Raw Materials Group (RMG);Luleå University of Technology, vol. 37(3), pages 669-676, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:minecn:v:37:y:2024:i:3:d:10.1007_s13563-024-00425-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s13563-024-00425-2
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s13563-024-00425-2
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s13563-024-00425-2?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Heijlen, Wouter & Franceschi, Guy & Duhayon, Chris & Van Nijen, Kris, 2021. "Assessing the adequacy of the global land-based mine development pipeline in the light of future high-demand scenarios: The case of the battery-metals nickel (Ni) and cobalt (Co)," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Wang, Xiao-Qing & Wu, Tong & Zhong, Huaming & Su, Chi-Wei, 2023. "Bubble behaviors in nickel price: What roles do geopolitical risk and speculation play?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    2. Allan Trench & Dirk Baur & Sam Ulrich & John Paul Sykes, 2024. "Gold Production and the Global Energy Transition—A Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(14), pages 1-13, July.
    3. Hugh Miller & Simon Dikau & Romain Svartzman & Stéphane Dees, 2023. "The Stumbling Block in ‘the Race of our Lives’: Transition-Critical Materials, Financial Risks and the NGFS Climate Scenarios," Working papers 907, Banque de France.
    4. Han, Sun & Zhenghao, Meng & Meilin, Li & Xiaohui, Yang & Xiaoxue, Wang, 2023. "Global supply sustainability assessment of critical metals for clean energy technology," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PB).
    5. Sun, Xin & Jiao, Yang & Hao, Han & Liu, Zongwei & Zhao, Fuquan, 2024. "Physical and monetary characterization of global nickel flow network," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:minecn:v:37:y:2024:i:3:d:10.1007_s13563-024-00425-2. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.