TAGRA 2025

The global shift toward renewable energy has become a cornerstone of strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve climate resilience. While technologies such as solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric, and bioenergy dominate the visible landscape of this transition, their efficiency and scalability fundamentally depend on advanced materials with highly specific functional properties. Among these, rare earth elements (REEs) are indispensable due to their exceptional magnetic, optical, and electronic characteristics, which remain largely irreplaceable. Neodymium (Nd), praseodymium (Pr), and dysprosium (Dy) are critical for producing NdFeB permanent magnets, enabling high torque density, reduced electrical losses, and improved reliability in direct-drive wind turbines and electric vehicle powertrains. Likewise, gallium (Ga), indium (In), and germanium (Ge) are essential for high-efficiency photovoltaic (PV) devices through band-gap engineering and enhanced photon absorption. Lanthanum (La) and cerium (Ce) play key roles in hydrogen storage alloys, catalytic converters, and solid oxide fuel cells, offering superior oxygen storage capacity and thermal stability. Despite their technological importance, REE supply chains remain geographically concentrated, creating strategic vulnerabilities, price volatility, and geopolitical tensions. These challenges highlight the need for diversified sourcing, circular material use, and environmentally responsible extraction technologies. Turkey presents significant opportunities in this context, supported by its world-leading boron reserves and emerging REE-bearing deposits in regions such as Eskişehir-Kızılcaören and Malatya-Hekimhan. Strengthening domestic processing capabilities, advancing research and development, and integrating recycling infrastructure into national energy strategies will be essential to reduce external dependency and enhance competitiveness. Ultimately, sustainable and strategic management of rare earth resources is vital for secure, efficient, and resilient renewable energy systems, reinforcing the broader objectives of the global energy transition.