The Energy Materials a technology uses per unit of electricity generated over its lifespan - kg/TWh - is what really matters!
The International Energy Agency (IEA) published a document titled:
'Minerals used in clean energy technologies compared to other power generation sources': https://lnkd.in/dH-jsjSw
The first chart quantifies the special 'Energy Minerals' required for the 'Energy Transition', a subject which Mark P Mills analyses in his many papers, podcasts and YouTube videos on the subject.
Perplexingly, the units used are kg/MW [of installed capacity] for the various technology. In the upcoming [near future] period of Energy Minerals scarcity predicted by Mark P. Mills, this metric is of no use to policy makers like Grant Shapps at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
What is needed is the amount of Energy Minerals required per unit of electricity generated - kg/TWh - over the lifespan of a generating technology.
This infographic highlights the issues sure to be faced by wind and solar, should the predictions of Mark P. Mills come to pass and, highlights equally so, how nuclear power may be the way to dodge future Energy Minerals 'crunches'.
A top pro-nuclear commentator on social media is Robert Bryce who should really be using this infographic to support his ‘Iron Law of Power Density’.
When wind and solar use 10X more and upwards of these material than nuclear power, we’re talking about:
10 more and upwards of mines, mining plant and equipment.
10 more and upwards of refining plant and equipment
10 more and upwards of transport and shipping
10 more and upwards of energy use (which will be mainly fossil fuels for many years).