Understanding the Role of Critical Minerals in the Renewable Energy Transition

To harness the energy of the sun, rushing water and billowing wind, clean energy technology relies on an array of minerals. Cobalt, lithium and nickel are just a few of the critical elements needed to build electric vehicles and power batteries. Others include rare earth minerals, graphite, graphene, and indium. All of these are important materials in manufacturing renewable energy technologies. And as the world moves away from fossil fuels, forecasters see demand for them increasing by 500% over the next three decades.