The GoverMat project, funded by the Academy of Finland, addresses the circular economy of raw materials critical to e-mobility

The GoverMat project (2022–2025) involves the University of Oulu, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland (coordinator), the University of Eastern Finland, Aalto University, and international partners. The project focuses on the circular economy of critical raw materials used in electromobility applications, in particular batteries, battery materials, electronic components and permanent magnets.

According to the Government's goal, a carbon-neutral circular economy society will be the foundation of the Finnish economy by 2035. In addition, the circular economy rate of materials should double by 2035. At national level, ambitious targets have also been set for the electrification of transport.

The GoverMat project contributes to a holistic understanding needed in the transition to a circular economy through a multidisciplinary approach that combines environmental policy, innovation research, urban research and materials science with its many different research branches. The project provides new information on regulations and decisions affecting electromobility raw material flows, markets, characteristics of material flows and future developments, as well as circular economy process concepts aimed at more efficient metal recovery or replacement of critical metals.

The project promotes circular economy, especially at city level, by creating a holistic understanding of critical raw material flows in different applications, both regionally and nationally. Of the urban areas, Kokkola and Pori-Harjavalta with their industrial parks serve as a reference point in the project’s city-level reviews. These two industrial parks have a long experience in developing circular economy solutions on an industrial scale. In addition, the two city regions have concluded an innovation ecosystem agreement with the Finnish state in order to promote the circular economy. Thus, they have been picked to participate in the project as interesting case studies. The total budget of the project is €1.7m, of which the Academy of Finland’s financial contribution is €1.2m.

Professor Ulla Lassi, Oulun yliopisto/Kokkolan yliopistokeskus Chydenius; Salli JavaScriptin suoritus selaimesi asetuksista nähdäksesi sähköpostiosoitteet; +358 400294090.