The global energy transition is shifting electricity, transport and industry away from fossil fuels and toward technologies such as wind, solar, batteries and electric vehicles.

These technologies greatly reduce operational carbon emissions, but they are also highly dependent on physical materials. Lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite, copper and rare earth elements are increasingly important components of clean-energy infrastructure.

The material side of clean energy

Batteries depend on several critical minerals for energy density, performance and durability. Permanent-magnet wind turbines and electric motors can require rare earth elements. Electricity grids require significant quantities of copper and aluminium.

As renewable-energy deployment accelerates, demand for these materials is also expected to grow.

Environmental impacts do not disappear

Clean-energy technologies move many environmental impacts away from fuel combustion, but they do not eliminate them. Mining and mineral processing can require substantial water, energy and land resources and may create environmental impacts if poorly managed.

This means sustainability should be considered across the complete technology life cycle rather than only during electricity generation.

Supply concentration is another risk

Some important minerals are produced or processed in a small number of countries. Concentrated supply chains can introduce geopolitical and energy-security risks as global demand increases.

Innovation can reduce the problem

Several strategies can improve the resilience and sustainability of clean-energy technologies:

  • reducing material intensity through better engineering,
  • developing alternative materials and technologies,
  • improving recycling and circular-economy systems,
  • diversifying mineral supply chains, and
  • improving environmental standards for extraction.

Renewable energy remains essential to decarbonization. However, a genuinely sustainable transition needs to consider not only the energy produced by a technology, but also the resources required to build it.