World leaders and others in positions of power have set ambitious goals to help the world shift to a future defined by the use of renewable energy. Succeeding with them will require making significant changes and investments. However, it’s also necessary to understand the vital role critical minerals play in making the switch. Here’s a closer look at that complex situation.
Renewables Require More Minerals Than Other Energy Forms
A report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) confirmed that renewable energy projects generally require more minerals than their fossil fuel counterparts. The report also mentioned that clean energy is becoming the most significant reason for the growing demand.
The document went into greater detail by showing what would likely happen if energy projects proceeded on pace with the Paris Agreement goals. Overall, people could expect a quadrupling in demand for minerals by 2040. More specifically, there would be a 60-70% increase for nickel and cobalt and a nearly 90% jump in the need for lithium. Then, if the world achieved a global net-zero energy goal by 2050, that would cause a sixfold increase in the mineral demand.
Elsewhere, a World Bank report anticipated a nearly 500% increase in mineral production by 2050 associated with clean energy goals. However, the research showed that although the energy was significantly more mineral-dependent than fossil fuels, it had only 6% of the carbon footprint they do.
Mineral Distribution Is Unequal
Many materials needed for energy generation are fairly concentrated in their locations. For example, 16 mines in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin produce almost 43% of all the United States’ coal. It’s a similar situation with the minerals needed for renewable energy transitions.
China is simultaneously the world’s biggest carbon polluter and largest source of the critical minerals required for renewable energy production. However, research from Columbia University noted that people in places like Chile and the Democratic Republic of Congo have already engaged in investment and policy actions to prepare for their roles in the increased mineral demands. China may be the dominant force, but it is not the only source of these minerals.
In the United States, the Department of Energy launched a $140 million program to create a unique mineral extraction and separation refinery. It will reportedly use unconventional methods to source them and play an essential role in stabilizing the supply chain for the country’s energy future.
Minerals Sourcing Must Happen Ethically and Responsibly
Energy production can bring lasting and undesirable effects. The mountaintop removal (MTR) associated with coal mining is an excellent example. Many people who live in the communities where that method gets practiced say it stimulates the local economy and provides people from underprivileged areas with employment opportunities.
However, research also indicates that approximately 1,200 people die annually as a direct effect of MTR. The practice also pollutes the air and water.
Concerned parties point out that many sources of renewable energy minerals are in developing countries. The leaders of those nations may be less likely to follow internationally recognized and agreed-upon human rights standards. People in those places are under threat of child labor exploitation and may have no choice but to do their job with basic tools while enduring long shifts without breaks.
Researchers have also investigated how renewable energy-related mining could impact 50 million square kilometers of Earth’s surface, including protected areas and those identified as critical for biodiversity. They warn that people must act strategically, now, so that compromised biodiversity is not a consequence of the world’s push for greater dependence on renewables.
Sourcing Minerals for Renewables Requires Careful Thought
Many people initially agree that becoming more dependent on renewables sounds like a great plan. It does provide many advantages over continuing to use fossil fuels. However, the content covered here and elsewhere provides a vital reminder that virtually nothing is without negative consequences. Now, the best way forward requires figuring out how to mitigate them while protecting people and the planet as much as possible for the short and long term.