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Agreement inked to develop hydrogen recycling of end-of-life wind turbine magnets

25th January 2022

By: Donna Slater

Features Deputy Editor and Chief Photographer

     

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Magnet metal and rare earths miner Pensana has signed a cooperation agreement with oil, gas and wind power company Equinor, forming a working group to share technical and commercial information to develop a low-energy method for recycling end-of-life magnets at Pensana’s rare earths hub in the Saltend Chemical Park, in the UK.

Pensana chairperson Paul Atherley says the agreement relates to processing end-of-life magnets from wind turbine nacelles using properties found in hydrogen as a powerful reductant.

Recycling permanent magnets using hydrogen not as a fuel, but as a reductant, while also benefitting from the decarbonised power supply within Saltend, offers the parties a clean alternative that uses 88% less energy than virgin magnet manufacture.

It also aligns with Pensana's continued efforts to produce a sustainable supply chain for these critical materials.

The partnership with Equinor supports Pensana’s commitment to the circular economy as it looks to recycle an addressable yearly market of 4 000 t of end-of-life permanent magnets.

As such, Equinor has submitted plans for its Hydrogen to Humber Saltend hydrogen production facility into Phase 2 of the UK government’s cluster sequencing process.

The facility will be supported by the potential supply of hydrogen to Pensana and other regional hydrogen users, which Pensana says could be a world first and a catalyst for Humber to achieve net zero.

In addition to its hub in the UK, Pensana also operates the Longonjo rare earths project in Angola.

Edited by Chanel de Bruyn
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor Online

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