Rare Earth Minerals

new PV materials

Historically photovoltaic production has required the use of rare earth metals. However scientists have just broken the global record for solar energy conversion with “earth-abundant” materials.[read more]

Geologic Formation via Shutterstock

Rare earth metals are naturally occurring minerals whose properties make them uniquely suited to certain clean technologies, particularly electric vehicles and wind turbines. The components in these clean technologies — including magnets, superconducting wire, batteries, and motors — are made possible through the unique properties these rare earth metals provide.[read more]

Supply Chain via Shutterstock

This column has focused largely on market barriers and consumer engagement with clean energy, but less on the supply chain portion of  companies’ business models. Along with supplying end-products, the clean energy economy will be populated by many companies who are purely in the business of supplying the materials used in clean...[read more]

Imagine a kerosene lamp that continued to shine after the fuel was spent, or an electric stove that could remain hot during a power outage.Materials scientists at Harvard have demonstrated an equivalent feat in clean energy generation with a solid-oxide fuel cell (SOFC) that converts hydrogen into electricity but can also store...[read more]

Wikimedia Commons

Though Lithium is plentiful, exploding demand for the critical battery ingredient is driving a push to expand extraction in the U.S., where the Department of Energy is leading the charge.[read more]

Photo by Ian Muttoo via Flickr

Honda announced that it has begun reusing the rare earth metals extracted from its old car batteries in an effort to recycle and keep down costs.The carmaker said it had begun extracting the metals from the spent nickel-metal hydride batteries earlier this year. Honda saidit planned to reuse the extracted metal in new batteries and...[read more]

An essential mineral ingredient used in a variety of electronics from cell phones to smart bombs could be a death knell for a pristine part of a wild New Mexico desert grassland coveted by environmentalists—and considered sacred to Native Americans.That ingredient—rare earth elements—is at the heart of a recent battle to protect one of...[read more]

In this week’s episode of R-Squared Energy TV, I talk about the significance of China’s dominance of rare earth element production, and the conversion of pyrolysis oil into fuel.The questions answered this week are:1. Can you discuss the uses of ‘rare earth’ elements in the production of renewable energies (i.e., wind and solar)?...[read more]

Last week a company called Planetary Resources, Inc. announced its intention to develop the means of exploiting minerals from near-earth asteroids on a for-profit basis.  This news got some attention for its novelty, particularly at a time when the concerns of most companies are distinctly earthbound.  It also attracted...[read more]

Photo by Martin Abegglen via Flickr

Wind power is being squeezed on two fronts. Natural gas prices remain low, limiting the financial incentive to install wind capacity. Meanwhile, the Chinese government continues limit the supply of rare earth elements (REE), and the magnets required for wind turbines use sizable quantities of two of them, neodymium and dysprosium. Any...[read more]