A Critical Raw Material Supply-Side Innovation Roadmap for the EU Energy Transition

A report from Systemiq and supported by Breakthrough Energy and the Energy Transitions Commission, “A Critical Raw Material Supply-Side Innovation Roadmap for the EU Energy Transition,” highlights the role of innovation to accelerate critical raw materials primary production to meet climate goals and enhance strategic autonomy in Europe. The report, developed with input from industry leaders and experts, outlines key technologies and policy recommendations to sustainably boost CRM supply.

Critical raw materials (CRMs) are essential for the clean energy transition, powering technologies from electric vehicle batteries to wind turbines. However, the EU faces significant challenges in securing adequate raw material to meet the objectives of the EU Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA). Europe’s share of global minerals production has fallen from 25% to less than 7% over the last 40 years, leading to increased import reliance.

The CRMA, which entered into force in 2024, aims to reverse this trend by setting ambitious targets for domestic mining, processing, and recycling of CRMs by 2030. But the EU has yet to build up to the necessary momentum to meet the 2030 benchmarks, with many projects facing delays due to local opposition and permitting challenges.

The report focuses on six critical materials facing substantial global supply-demand challenges: copper, nickel, cobalt, lithium, graphite, and rare earth elements. It identifies a set of seven key technologies from a longer list of twenty with high potential to sustainably boost supply of these CRMs in the EU and strategic partner countries over the next 10-15 years.