“Substitutionability” of the Critical Raw Materials in Energy Applications: A Short Review and Perspectives

Among other turbulences in economic life, the availability and price of certain important raw materials have, in recent years, been subject to increasing uncertainty. The issues around these so- called critical raw materials (CRM) include strong and growing demand from industry as well as limited and volatile supply. Uncertainty surrounding the supply of raw materials potentially constrains economic growth as rising prices make key industries less profitable. This study broadly relates to the EU2020 Strategy and in particular to its sustainable growth objective, as well as to the EU Raw Materials Initiative, both of which aim to support sustainable growth in the EU. The objective of this study is to analyze current research, development and innovation policies in this area, which aim to substitute CRM with alternative materials or other solutions.