China holds near monopoly on elements
CHINA - Elements needed to make green energy products worldwide are being mined destructively in China, which has a near monopoly on them, authorities said.
The U.S. Congress has ordered a study of potential alternatives because lawmakers are concerned about China's near monopoly and the fact that many of the mines are run by criminal gangs, The New York Times reported.
The elements, called rare earths, make magnets in electric motors lighter and increase the efficiency of light bulbs, among other things. Two of the elements, dysprosium and terbium, are in especially short supply because the demand for them is rising quickly worldwide.
Half the rare earth mines in China are regulated and the other half operate illegally, but even the legal mines often pollute water supplies and leave the land unusable, said Wang Caifeng, who regulates the rare-earths industry in China.
"In many places, the mining is abused," Caifeng told the Times.
Related News
UK homes can become virtual power plants to avoid outages
LONDON - This month we published our analysis of the British electricity system this winter. Our message is clear: in the base case our analysis indicates that supply margins are expected to be adequate, however this winter will undoubtedly be challenging. Therefore, all of us in the electricity system operator (ESO) are working round the clock to manage the system, ensure the flow of energy and do our bit to keep costs down for consumers.
One of the tools we have developed is the demand flexibility service. From November, this new capability will reward homes and businesses for shifting their electricity…
