Europe cannot fall behind in the global transition to clean energy. This was the warning given by Norge Mineraler’s CEO Olav Skalmeraas in a panel discussion at the European Initiative for Energy Security (EIES) conference in Brussels. The panel was moderated by Bryan Bille of Benchmark Minerals Intelligence and panellists included Kerstin Jorna, the European Commission’s Director General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs and Lawrence Dechambenoit, Global Head of Government Affairs at Rio Tinto.
Geopolitical tensions in parts of the world that export the Critical Raw Materials (CRMs) underpinning green technologies, are disrupting Europe’s CRM supply and threatening its future energy security.
“Europe’s supply chain and infrastructure face security and economic threats,” Skalmeraas told the panel. “This is happening at the same time as Europe aims to become a world leader in industrial transformation and the green transition,”
Olav Skalmeraas, Norge Mineraler’s CEO
Dependence leaves us “vulnerable”
Critical Raw Materials are demanded by industries and governments seeking to overcome the challenges of supply security and carbon net zero.
Decarbonising economies requires major changes across all sectors, and securing a strong and stable domestic CRM supply chain is essential. Depending on countries outside Europe, that currently dominate the production and processing of CRMs, “makes us vulnerable”, according to Olav Skalmeraas.
A series of political upheavals have conspired to cause concern. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, China’s increasing dominance of CRM supply chains, and higher energy costs that have driven inflation and hit industries and communities alike, have created unpredictable and insecure supply conditions.
The EIES conference, Implementing a Whole-System European Energy and Supply Chain Security Strategy, brought together business leaders, European organisations, NATO and the EU to discuss how to safeguard Europe against future international turmoil.
Cooperation, collaboration and high standards
The event aimed to facilitate high-level discussion around the need to find pan-European, global alliances and concrete, realistic solutions to reduce Europe’s supply risks.
“We must jointly deal with these external dependencies”, Olav Skalmeraas said. To achieve this, we need to work with like-minded countries that commit to high standards.
Transatlantic cooperation and collaboration on industrial, energy and trade policies are integral to ensuring European sovereignty. The panel discussed next steps and what European institutions, countries and industries can do together to uphold EU interests.
Absolute necessity in a new world order
Building secure and diverse energy supply chains and a robust, resilient, and clean European industrial base will not only bolster the push to net zero, but future economic prosperity across the whole continent.
Olav Skalmeraas is clear: Europe cannot fall behind in the green transition and Norge Mineraler can and will contribute to this effort.
The Company’s world-class deposit of vanadium, titanium and phosphate in Eigersund in Southwest Norway can play a key role in the creation of a new, integrated value chain for responsibly produced CRMs that will ensure supply chain security and support Europe’s energy transition.
Securing supply chains for Critical Raw Materials is not just about value for Europe; it is an absolute necessity in the new world order that is developing around us.
