Report on metal demand for renewable electricity production in the Netherlands

Metal demand for renewable electricity production in the Netherlands

Metal demand for renewable electricity production in the Netherlands
Type
Author
Metabolic, Copper8 & Leiden University
Publication Date
December, 2018
Country
Netherlands
Language for original content
Key Area
Pieter van Exter
Sybren Bosch
Contact Person Name (for publication on the website)
Benjamin Sprecher

For our future electricity system, a significant amount of wind and solar energy is required. In turn, these energy technologies require some specific critical metals. The current global supply of several critical metals is insufficient to guarantee a transition to a renewable energy system.

Calculations for The Netherlands show that additional wind turbines and photovoltaic panels already require a significant share of the annual global production of some critical metals.

This report outlines the magnitude of the issue and the complexity of the supply chain. It also identifies various paths towards solutions.