The post-petroleum resource race and what to make of It

        May 20, 2021 Common Dreams | Global | storage: mining

As wind turbines, PV panels, and EVs increase, more cobalt, lithium, nickel, and REEs are needed. Wind and solar power is 7% of electric power and EV adoption less than 1%, but lithium demand may rise 50x and cobalt 30x by 2040, leading to possible resource wars in the DRC (80% of cobalt) or Argentina and Chile (80% of lithium). EV share could be 15% by 2030.