PERMANET is a Sustainable REE Innovation and Supply Network covering the full Rare Earth Elements (REE) Permanent Magnet (PM) value chain. It is structured upon 5 layers: 1) Three Sustainable, Connected Tech ‘Hubs’ segmented along the full REE PM value chain and organizing thematic collaborative R&D and supply ecosystems 2) 13 fully Scalable Innovations to reach TRL7 and expand in scale and deployment range along the entire value chain 3) A structural layer of R&D infrastructure, equipment and services to fuel Pilot and Demonstration activities 4) Five Enabling “Engines” addressing the key conditions for sustainable and competitive REE supply 5) All embedded within a single PERMANET Network Infrastructure with its own, sustainable organizational model. The Network accelerates leading-edge innovations, from REE extraction from mining tailings and hydrometallurgical processes to oxide reduction and innovative production processes, all the way to the production of innovative PM and their testing by end users in industrial environment across 1/ E-Mobility 2/ Energy 3/ Industrial Equipment. PERMANET also secures key sources of REE such as leading mining projects from the EU and Partner Countries, as well as End of Life (EoL) sectors (WEEE, EV, etc.). The project relies on enabling activities ranging from strategic venturing to investment support to build sub-optimal EU REE PM Segments. The project unlocks viable reserves of REE including unconventional sources and will demonstrate novel, cost-effective, and environmentally sound REE extraction, processing, and separation routes, as well as demonstrate the first EU hub for PM boosting circular PM technologies to deploy at market scale. The project is ready to be fully integrated with other EU-backed PM Hubs and aims to grow into a fully-fledged Pan-EU pilot and demonstration infrastructure to remain sustainable post-funding.

United Circles project will demonstrate, with 46 partners across 14 countries + 1 international body, three Industrial-Urban Symbiosis value chains, to upcycle of urban Food Waste, urban Wastewater Solids, and urban Construction & Demolition Waste (C&DW). To close urban and industrial water loops to reduce freshwater use in drought prone regions, and integrate energy co-generation technology in upcycling pathways. Made possible by advancing innovative technologies from TRL5 to TRL7 in combined integrated value chains, to enable zero waste cities and a decarbonised Process Industry. The value chains cover collection, sorting, upcycling and production of new upcycled products. To demonstrate how: 1) a demolish building’s C&DW can be transformed into a new 2 storey 3D printed building with upcycled low-carbon cement, cement bonded particle boards, and insulation foam; 2) a waste-water treatment plant can become a resource recovery centre for all materials, water and energy, in an integrated manner. By supplying high quality gas to the local gas grid, by providing upcycled cellulose as industrial feedstock to pulp & paper industries, and by providing clean water and fertilizer for agriculture; 3) food waste in the form of used cooking oil can be upcycled in a first application of 2nd generation biorefinery to create novel fully biodegradable and food waste origin bioplastic products for complete replacement of fossil fuels. The United Circles 3 value chain demonstrators will each be integrated in a Hub 4 Circularity, that will underpin their Industrial-Urban networks governance and evolution, using advanced governance frameworks, feasibility towards financing methodologies, digital tools, social and environmental innovations, and a material and products observatory. The H4C in the proposal will enable business to territory plans, with their regional stakeholder network, that seek to expand the demonstrator integrated technologies to higher TRL levels.