IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jrpoli/v112y2026ics0301420725003526.html

Scandium extraction from Malaysian industrial waste: Challenges and opportunities for a sustainable energy future

Author

Listed:
  • Aziman, Eli Syafiqah
  • Ismail, Aznan Fazli
  • Yahya, Mohd Syukri
  • Iskandar, Batari Toja

Abstract

The power generation sector in Malaysia is under considerable pressure to achieve the nation's commitment to carbon neutrality, primarily due to its substantial dependence on coal. To address these issues, Malaysia has prioritised the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy (RE) sources for electricity generation. Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are a promising renewable technology under consideration by the government to address consumer energy demand in Malaysia. The element Scandium (Sc) is primarily utilized in the third generation of SOFC, which consequently increases the demand for scandium oxide in the global market. The increased demand coupled with restricted supply, leading to higher prices of scandium oxide, could significantly impact Malaysia's renewable energy policy regarding the implementation of SOFC in its energy sector. The review examines methods for extracting scandium from a potential industrial waste in Malaysia. To effectively explore the potential and sustainability of SOFC energy in Malaysia, the government must focus on three key parameters: resource mapping and policy reform, lab-to-pilot scale technology development (TRL3–6), industry-government R&D partnerships and commercialization, full integration into the circular economy through sustainable scandium recovery from residues, strengthening environmental and social governance and enhancing ASEAN level cooperation to support regional critical mineral resilience. A framework addressing these six parameters is proposed to facilitate the integration of potential scandium sources from industrial waste into Malaysia's energy system.

Suggested Citation

  • Aziman, Eli Syafiqah & Ismail, Aznan Fazli & Yahya, Mohd Syukri & Iskandar, Batari Toja, 2026. "Scandium extraction from Malaysian industrial waste: Challenges and opportunities for a sustainable energy future," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jrpoli:v:112:y:2026:i:c:s0301420725003526
    DOI: 10.1016/j.resourpol.2025.105810
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301420725003526
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.resourpol.2025.105810?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Harald Ulrik Sverdrup & Antoniy Elias Sverdrup, 2024. "On the Supply Dynamics of Scandium, Global Resources, Production, Oxide and Metal Price, a Prospective Modelling Study Using WORLD7," Biophysical Economics and Resource Quality, Springer, vol. 9(2), pages 1-22, June.
    2. Matic Jovičević-Klug & Isnaldi R. Souza Filho & Hauke Springer & Christian Adam & Dierk Raabe, 2024. "Green steel from red mud through climate-neutral hydrogen plasma reduction," Nature, Nature, vol. 625(7996), pages 703-709, January.
    3. Tong Ren & Mengzhuo Li & Jia Yang & De Wang & Yunyun Liu & Guanyue Wang, 2024. "Life-Cycle Environmental Impact Assessment and Analysis of Wheat Straw Fuel Ethanol E10," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-25, November.
    4. Rahmat, Muhammad Abdullah & Ismail, Aznan Fazli & Aziman, Eli Syafiqah & Rodzi, Nursyamimi Diyana & Mohamed, Faizal & Abdul Rahman, Irman, 2022. "The impact of unregulated industrial tin-tailing processing in Malaysia: Past, present and way forward," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    5. Barbara Bielowicz, 2020. "Ash Characteristics and Selected Critical Elements (Ga, Sc, V) in Coal and Ash in Polish Deposits," Resources, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-30, September.
    6. Darmansyah, Darmansyah & You, Sheng-Jie & Wang, Ya-Fen, 2023. "Advancements of coal fly ash and its prospective implications for sustainable materials in Southeast Asian countries: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    7. Orlando Corigliano & Leonardo Pagnotta & Petronilla Fragiacomo, 2022. "On the Technology of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) Energy Systems for Stationary Power Generation: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-73, November.
    8. Aziman, Eli Syafiqah & Ismail, Aznan Fazli & Rahmat, Muhammad Abdullah, 2023. "Balancing economic growth and environmental protection: A sustainable approach to Malaysia's rare-earth industry," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    9. Risa Arai & Martin Calisto Friant & Walter J. V. Vermeulen, 2024. "The Japanese Circular Economy and Sound Material-Cycle Society Policies: Discourse and Policy Analysis," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 4(1), pages 619-650, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Li, Zheng-Zheng & Meng, Qin & Zhang, Linling & Lobont, Oana-Ramona & Shen, Yijuan, 2023. "How do rare earth prices respond to economic and geopolitical factors?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PA).
    2. Aziman, Eli Syafiqah & Ismail, Aznan Fazli & Rahmat, Muhammad Abdullah, 2023. "Balancing economic growth and environmental protection: A sustainable approach to Malaysia's rare-earth industry," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    3. Guo, Xinru & Guo, Yumin & Wang, Jiangfeng & Meng, Xin & Deng, Bohao & Wu, Weifeng & Zhao, Pan, 2023. "Thermodynamic analysis of a novel combined heating and power system based on low temperature solid oxide fuel cell (LT-SOFC) and high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell (HT-PEMFC)," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 284(C).
    4. Banasiak, David & Kienberger, Thomas, 2024. "A comparative analysis of the economic feasibility of reversible hydrogen systems based on time-resolved operation optimisation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 371(C).
    5. Liang, Jingjing & Zhao, Yi & Wen, Du & Huang, Ye & Han, Minfang & Maréchal, François, 2025. "Reversible solid oxide electrolyser for energy storage: levelized cost of storage estimation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 399(C).
    6. Xia, Lei & Zhang, Miao & Han, Minfang & Sun, Li, 2026. "Model predictive control of a one-dimensional methane reforming solid oxide fuel cell system based on Modelica/SIMULINK co-simulation," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 256(PB).
    7. Rong Zhang & Yihe Zhang & Guoxing Sun & Hongqiang Wei, 2025. "Low-Carbon and Recycled Mineral Composite Materials for Sustainable Infrastructure: A Comprehensive Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-28, September.
    8. Piotr Lis & Jarosław Milewski & Pavel Shuhayeu & Jan Paczucha & Paweł Ryś, 2025. "Mathematical Model of Fluid Flow Machine Unit for a Small-Scale Compressed Gas Energy Storage System," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-22, May.
    9. Nemanja Mišljenović & Matej Žnidarec & Goran Knežević & Damir Šljivac & Andreas Sumper, 2023. "A Review of Energy Management Systems and Organizational Structures of Prosumers," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-32, March.
    10. Xia, Lei & Khosravi, Ali & Han, Minfang & Sun, Li, 2025. "Modelica based hybrid-dimensional dynamic modeling, multi-objective optimization and thermodynamic analysis of cross-flow SOFC system," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 241(C).
    11. Huang, Chikun & Lin, Zhenhong & Xu, Chaoxu & Zhang, Baotong & Ou, Shiqi & Xue, Xingyu & Hong, Frank T., 2025. "The complementary role of E-fuel in decarbonizing transportation and stabilizing the power grid," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 224(C).
    12. Timurkutluk, Bora & Timurkutluk, Cigdem & Onbilgin, Sezer & Yildirim, Fuat & Toruntay, Furkan, 2026. "Electrode-electrolyte interface engineering in solid oxide cells: Design strategies, optimization and performance enhancement," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 226(PC).
    13. Styn, Robert & Reichelt, Hannes Jakob & Peters, Ralf & Müller, Thomas Ernst, 2025. "Techno-economic assessment of hythane-fueled industrial SOFC systems," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 340(C).
    14. Igor Tatarewicz & Sławomir Skwierz & Michał Lewarski & Robert Jeszke & Maciej Pyrka & Monika Sekuła, 2023. "Mapping the Future of Green Hydrogen: Integrated Analysis of Poland and the EU’s Development Pathways to 2050," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-27, August.
    15. Jinghui Zhao & Huijin Guo & Shaobo Ping & Zimeng Guo & Weikang Lin & Yanbo Yang & Wen Shi & Zixi Wang & Tiancai Ma, 2023. "Research on Design and Optimization of Large Metal Bipolar Plate Sealing for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-18, August.
    16. Srecko Stopic & Richard Schneider & Duško Kostić & Isnaldi R. Souza Filho & Mitar Perušić & Elif Emil-Kaya & Bernd Friedrich, 2025. "Combined Decarbonizing Technologies for Treatment of Bauxite Residues," Waste, MDPI, vol. 3(2), pages 1-26, March.
    17. repec:bcp:journl:v:9:y:2025:i:15:p:1422-1441 is not listed on IDEAS
    18. Yaping Wu & Xiaolong Wu & Yuanwu Xu & Yongjun Cheng & Xi Li, 2023. "A Novel Adaptive Neural Network-Based Thermoelectric Parameter Prediction Method for Enhancing Solid Oxide Fuel Cell System Efficiency," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-17, September.
    19. Vlado Vivoda & Indra Overland & Roman Vakulchuk, 2026. "Navigating ASEAN’s critical materials future: Opportunities, risks and strategic imperatives," Mineral Economics, Springer;Raw Materials Group (RMG);Luleå University of Technology, vol. 39(1), pages 231-242, March.
    20. Orlando Corigliano & Marco Iannuzzi & Crescenzo Pellegrino & Francesco D’Amico & Leonardo Pagnotta & Petronilla Fragiacomo, 2023. "Enhancing Energy Processes and Facilities Redesign in an Anaerobic Digestion Plant for Biomethane Production," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-29, August.
    21. Navinkumar, T.M. & Bharatiraja, C., 2025. "Sustainable hydrogen energy fuel cell electric vehicles: A critical review of system components and innovative development recommendations," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 215(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jrpoli:v:112:y:2026:i:c:s0301420725003526. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/inca/30467 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.