NEOHIRE · Project

Cutting Rare Earth Usage in Wind Turbine Magnets by Half Through Recycling

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Wind turbines need powerful magnets made from rare earth elements, and right now almost all of those materials come from China — which makes prices unpredictable and supply risky. NEOHIRE figured out how to make a new type of magnet that uses far less of these expensive materials, while also developing ways to recycle old magnets so the rare earths can be reused. Think of it like switching from solid gold jewelry to gold-plated — you get similar performance with a fraction of the raw material. The result is wind turbines that are cheaper to build and don't depend on a single country for their critical ingredients.

By the numbers

50%

Targeted reduction in EU external demand for rare earths in wind turbine permanent magnets

30%

Reduction in light rare earth elements (Nd/Pr) in permanent magnets

100%

Elimination of heavy rare earths, cobalt, and gallium from magnets

2.74 MW to 3.56 MW

Increase in deliverable electric power per ton of rare earths

70%

Neodymium recovery rate from sintered permanent magnet waste (up from 0%)

95%

Neodymium recycling rate from bonded NEOHIRE permanent magnets

90%

Cobalt recovery rate from sintered permanent magnet waste

100%

Dysprosium separation from permanent magnet waste

The business problem

What needed solving

Wind turbine manufacturers depend almost entirely on Chinese rare earth imports for the permanent magnets in their generators, creating severe supply chain risk and price volatility. There is currently no commercially viable way to recycle these expensive materials from end-of-life magnets, meaning valuable rare earths are lost as waste. This dependency threatens the cost competitiveness and scaling ambitions of the European wind energy sector.

The solution

What was built

The project produced lab-scale bonded NdFeB magnet samples using both injection and compression moulding, validated through a prototype testing phase. Two rare earth recycling processes were developed — one for existing sintered magnets and one for the new bonded magnets — along with electric machine designs optimized for the new magnet type.

Audience

Who needs this

Wind turbine OEMs seeking to reduce rare earth dependency in generatorsPermanent magnet manufacturers looking to cut material costsRare earth recycling companies entering the magnet waste recovery marketElectric generator designers for renewable energy applicationsCritical raw materials supply chain managers at energy companies

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Wind turbine manufacturing

enterprise

Target: Wind turbine generator manufacturers and OEMs

If you are a wind turbine manufacturer dealing with volatile rare earth prices and supply chain risk from China — this project developed bonded NdFeB magnets that can replace sintered magnets while reducing rare earth content by 30% for light rare earths and eliminating heavy rare earths entirely. The technology targets an increase in deliverable electric power from 2.74 MW to 3.56 MW per ton of rare earths used.

Rare earth recycling and materials recovery

mid-size

Target: Metal recycling companies and critical raw materials processors

If you are a recycling company looking for commercially viable rare earth recovery methods — this project developed two recycling processes for NdFeB permanent magnet waste. For sintered magnets, the process recovers 70% of neodymium, separates 100% of dysprosium, and recovers 90% of cobalt. For the new bonded magnets, recovery reaches 95% of neodymium.

Electric generator design and manufacturing

enterprise

Target: Companies designing generators for renewable energy applications

If you are a generator manufacturer seeking to reduce material costs while maintaining output — this project demonstrated electric machine designs that boost power delivery from 2.74 MW to 3.56 MW per ton of rare earth elements. This means more power from less expensive material, directly cutting your bill of materials for permanent magnet generators used in wind energy.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

How much could this reduce our rare earth material costs?

The project targeted a 30% reduction in light rare earths (neodymium/praseodymium) and complete elimination of heavy rare earths, cobalt, and gallium from permanent magnets. Combined, this aims to cut EU external demand for rare earths in wind turbine generators by 50%. Actual cost savings depend on rare earth market prices, which have been volatile.

Can this work at industrial production scale?

The project produced samples at lab scale using injection and compression moulding technologies. Deliverables note that project-developed powders were not available on schedule, so commercial equivalent powders were used to validate manufacturing parameters. Scaling to commercial production would require further engineering and investment.

What is the IP situation and how can we license this technology?

NEOHIRE was a Research and Innovation Action with 10 consortium partners including manufacturers KOLEKTOR (magnets) and INDAR (wind turbines). IP is likely shared among partners under the consortium agreement. Licensing inquiries should be directed to the coordinator CEIT in Spain or the relevant industrial partners.

How proven is the recycling process?

The project developed two distinct recycling routes — one for existing sintered magnets (targeting 70% neodymium recovery and 90% cobalt recovery) and one for the new bonded magnets (targeting 95% neodymium recovery). A prototype validation deliverable was completed, but the processes were demonstrated at lab scale rather than at commercial volumes.

What is the timeline to adopt this in production?

The project ran from 2017 to 2020 and closed with lab-scale validated prototypes. Moving from lab-scale to commercial production would typically require pilot-scale validation and manufacturing process optimization. Based on available project data, no commercial deployment has been confirmed yet.

Does this meet current EU critical raw materials regulations?

This technology directly addresses EU concerns about rare earth supply security, which have intensified since the project ended. The EU Critical Raw Materials Act now mandates recycling targets and domestic sourcing goals. NEOHIRE's recycling processes and reduced rare earth usage align well with these regulatory directions.

Consortium

Who built it

NEOHIRE brought together 10 partners across 6 countries (Belgium, Germany, Spain, Italy, Japan, and the UK), with a balanced mix of 4 universities, 3 research organizations, and 3 industrial partners including 1 SME. The industrial side covers the full value chain: AICHI (Japan) supplies raw rare earth powders, KOLEKTOR manufactures permanent magnets, and INDAR builds wind turbine generators. Research expertise spans magnet materials (CEIT, University of Birmingham), recycling chemistry (University of Birmingham, KU Leuven), and lifecycle assessment (University of Florence). This end-to-end coverage — from raw material to finished turbine — gives the results a realistic path toward commercial use, though the 30% industry ratio means further industrial partnerships would be needed for scale-up.

ASOCIACION CENTRO TECNOLOGICO CEITCoordinator · ES
FUNDACION CIDAUTparticipant · ES
KOLEKTOR MAGNET TECHNOLOGY GMBHparticipant · DE
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI FIRENZEparticipant · IT
THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAMparticipant · UK
KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVENparticipant · BE
UNIVERSIDAD DEL PAIS VASCO/ EUSKAL HERRIKO UNIBERTSITATEAparticipant · ES

How to reach the team

ASOCIACION CENTRO TECNOLOGICO CEIT, a technology center based in Spain, coordinated this project. Contact through their institutional website for licensing and collaboration inquiries.

Order a report on this consortium See ASOCIACION CENTRO TECNOLOGICO CEIT profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want a detailed briefing on how NEOHIRE's magnet technology or recycling processes could fit your supply chain? SciTransfer can connect you directly with the research team and provide a tailored assessment.

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