GREENE is a major European research initiative funded with €8 million over four years, uniting 15 partners from across Europe under the coordination of Slovenia’s Jožef Stefan Institute. The project aims to redesign Nd-Fe-B magnets at the microscopic single grain level to significantly reduce their use of rare earth elements. This innovative approach is expected to lower environmental impacts and reduce Europe’s dependence on critical raw materials vital for renewable energy technologies.
The Zaragoza meeting highlighted important technical milestones and facilitated discussions on the next steps toward creating more sustainable, high-performance magnets. GREENE partners were hosted by the Instituto de Nanociencia y Materiales de Aragón (INMA), a joint research centre established by the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) and the Universidad de Zaragoza (UNIZAR). INMA is recognised as one of Spain’s leading materials science institutes and received the prestigious `Severo Ochoa´ National Excellence Grant in 2024.
In GREENE, INMA is coordinating the development of advanced characterization techniques to support the redesign of Nd-Fe-B magnets. By utilising state-of-the-art transmission electron microscopy facilities at the Laboratorio de Microscopías Avanzadas (LMA), Universidad de Zaragoza, part of the National Facility for Electron Microscopy (ELECMI), UNIZAR and CSIC are playing a crucial role in analysing the magnets at atomic scale.
Among these methods, electron holography is particularly significant. This electron interferometric technique enables researchers to visualise and quantify the magnetic field generated by the permanent magnets with nanometre resolution. Electron holography, in combination with complementary differential phase contrast (DPC) imaging with a segmented detector or 4D-STEM, allows investigation of the microscopic origins of the magnetic response and correlation with microstructure and chemical composition—critical information to refine synthesis routes and optimise the magnetic performance of the newly designed magnets. Electron spectroscopic techniques at the atomic level, supplemented in some cases by in-situ microscopic and spectroscopic methods, will also significantly contribute to this area.
To strengthen the project team, two postdoctoral researchers will be recruited at INMA over the coming months.
The developments driven by GREENE are particularly significant for Spain, which produces 57% of its energy from renewable sources, with wind turbines accounting for 23% of the total. In Aragón, renewable energy represents 80% of production, with 54% coming from wind power. Aragón also exports over half of its renewable energy, relying on large permanent magnets that weigh hundreds of kilograms.
The GREENE consortium’s efforts represent a significant step toward a cleaner, greener future. By pioneering magnet designs that reduce environmental impacts and material scarcity risks, GREENE is helping Europe transition to sustainable energy solutions while maintaining the high performance demanded by modern technologies.