CLIC Innovation: REMHub Project Develops a Digital Innovation Hub for Rare Earth Elements and Rare Magnets
August 27 2024 - 7:07AM
Business Wire
Newly funded Horizon EU REMHub project creates a cutting-edge
digital innovation hub propelling EU excellence for Rare Earth
Elements (REEs) and rare magnets
Rare earth elements and rare magnets play a crucial role in
advancing the green energy transition and achieving the goals of
the European Green Deal. While the EU currently relies heavily on
imports from a few countries— with approximately 90% of REEs*
coming from outside the EU—this presents an opportunity to develop
European expertise and forge strategic partnerships in rare earth
metals processing. Strengthening these capabilities within Europe
is key to reaching our ambitious targets. Additionally, while
challenges remain in REEs recycling, with current rates being less
than 5% and some extraction processes needing sustainability
improvements, these challenges also present a significant potential
for innovation and growth. As demand for REEs increases, driven by
their use in electric vehicles, wind turbine motors, and
electrolysers for clean hydrogen, there is a tremendous opportunity
to enhance recycling efforts and establish more sustainable
extraction processes within the EU.
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CLIC Innovation: REMHub Project Develops
a Digital Innovation Hub for Rare Earth Elements and Rare Magnets
(Copyright (c) 2024 Phawat/Shutterstock)
Project targets and development areas
REMHub will develop, test and pilot novel technologies for the
exploration and primary production of rare earth elements and for
recovering them from side streams to enhance supply security of
REEs and rare magnets in the EU. In addition, the project will
develop Re-X (Recycle, Reuse, refurbishment and repurposing)
technologies for rare earths and valuable metals from end-of-life
products as well as electric machine design for easier permanent
magnet recycling. The project will also identify and engage
relevant stakeholders to develop REE value chains in the EU. The
innovation hub will ensure that the novel technologies developed in
the project will be commercialized and offered as services via
digital platform in the future.
The project’s multi-stakeholder communication and dissemination
efforts are designed to actively involve and engage the public and
various stakeholders, fostering trust and raising awareness about
the importance of REEs. These activities also aim to build
essential capacities within the EU. The hub focuses on
transformative material sourcing for REEs and REE magnets,
including innovations in traceability, digital twinning, and
digital passports. Our project partners span the entire REE value
chain, from mineral exploration and processing to metal production,
magnet manufacturing, and recycling.
The project is committed to a safe and sustainable by design
(SSbD) framework, embracing a Re-X approach that prioritizes
recycling, reuse, refurbishment, and repurposing, while integrating
features for easy dismantling and circularity. REMHub is set to
significantly enhance the security of REE supply in the EU. With
the support of our digital innovation hub, it will accelerate the
development of technologies and services, enabling faster and
easier market entry. By the conclusion of the project, future
organizations will find it much easier to access sustainably
developed REE expert services within the EU.
Project in a nutshell
The project will commence at the beginning of October and last
for four years. The project consortium consists of 24 partners from
six countries: Finland, Estonia, Spain, Ireland, Slovenia, and
Italy. The project preparation and consortium coordination were led
by the Finnish organization CLIC Innovation, which also serves as
the project coordinator. The estimated total volume of the project
is 18 million euros, of which 16 million euros is EU funding. The
EU Horizon "resilient value chains" funding instrument supports
European sustainable development value chain projects with
financing from the European Commission.
* source:
https://scrreen.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/SCRREEN2_factsheets_REE-EUROSTAT.pdf
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Pia Salokoski Head of Energy pia.salokoski@clicinnovation.fi
+358 400476626