Germany’s wind industry has put forward a proposal urging the European Union to reduce its dependency on Chinese permanent magnets used in wind turbine generators, recommending a target of sourcing 30% from non-Chinese suppliers by 2030 and 50% by 2035.
The proposal is part of a new roadmap developed in collaboration with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWK), the German Wind Energy Association (BWE), the German Offshore Wind Energy Association (BWO), industry group VDMA, and the non-profit Offshore Wind Energy Foundation.
Permanent magnets containing rare earth elements are essential for wind turbine generators, with more than 90% currently produced in China. This reliance, the roadmap notes, “affects the entire value chain.”
The roadmap outlines several steps for turbine manufacturers, starting with the identification of alternative suppliers and the establishment of initial contact by mid-2025. It suggests that memorandums of understanding should be signed by that time, followed by offtake agreements by the end of 2026, and initial project operations starting as early as 2029.
The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy has backed the initiative, pledging support for applications to the EU Innovation Fund and promising to reduce administrative hurdles.
“Furthermore, the ministry will act as a gateway for foreign travel and provide support in attracting potential suppliers of permanent magnets and rare earths in countries outside Europe,” the ministry said in a statement.
The proposed milestones are intended to strengthen Europe’s supply chain resilience and reduce strategic vulnerabilities as the region continues to scale up renewable energy capacity.
