On 15 May, EGS Secretary- General Julie Hollis attended the Raw Materials Summit. Julie took part as a panellist in the session on "Addressing the Energy Storage and Conversion Realities". The session in which she spoke focused on how new technologies and alternative energy sources could impact future demand for metals and supply-demand gaps for critical raw materials (CRMs). She highlighted the potential of low-temperature geothermal energy to reduce the demand for critical minerals compared to wind or solar energy, especially for heating buildings and industrial or agricultural applications at low to medium temperatures.
The Summit covered the entire value chain, but the presentation of CRM investment plans and new national raw materials funds by Germany, France and Italy was particularly impactful. The CRM Act has already triggered initiatives at national and European level (research funding under Horizon Europe, establishment of “strategic projects”), but all speakers emphasised the need to increase efforts to achieve resource security and Net Zero goals.
The recordings from the Summit are available here.
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