Critical Raw Materials in the Context of the Energy Transition and Beyond (Considering Time, Space, and Geopolitics)

In the context of climate changes, countries and organizations are facing new challenges, one of them is achieving the carbon neutrality where the energy transition will play a key role in it. Renewable energy technologies such as photovoltaic solar panels and wind turbines are crucial for achieving this goal, yet their manufacturing requires the usage of materials that could be considered critical. The aim of this study is to develop a new criticality assessment methodology more comprehensive of the involvement of those materials in the renewable energy technologies, using a dynamic and a static approach. The methodology was tested through the case studies of Italy and Switzerland. Finally, it was possible to compile a new list of Critical Raw Materials for both countries, combining the results of both approaches. Due to their potential disruption in the supply chain and because of the increasing demand in the future, materials such as Rare Earth Elements, gallium, boron, and aluminium were found critical. Moreover, this new methodology could be used to assess materials criticality in various contexts (e.g., geographical, energetic). It can also serve as a preliminary analysis to evaluate the feasibility of strategies that can be implemented to minimise supply risks.