Due to a dwindling supply of ‘rare earth’ metals, vital in green technologies such as wind turbines, new approaches to design, sourcing and recycling are now required.
While the main cause of climate change – excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere – is well understood, finding a solution is highly complex. Weaning the global economy off fossil fuels will not happen overnight. And while many low-carbon technologies already exist, they are not problem-free.
Technologies such as wind turbines and electric vehicles (EVs) use powerful magnets, which rely on rare earth (RE) metals such as neodymium and dysprosium. However, these minerals are in short supply, with China dominating the entire supply chain from mining through to magnet manufacture. In addition, their extraction can have a negative environmental impact.
The UK must find ways to circumvent these supply issues if it is to meet its net zero targets and become a player in green energy technologies. A report from Fortune Business Insights...