The Material Basis of Energy Transitions

The Material Basis of Energy Transitions explores the intersection between critical raw material provision and the energy system. Chapters draw on examples and case studies involving energy technologies (e.g., electric power, transport) and raw material provision (e.g., mining, recycling), and consider these in their regional and global contexts. The book critically discusses issues such as the notion of criticality in the context of a circular economy, approaches for estimating the need for raw materials, certification schemes for raw materials, the role of consumers, and the impact of renewable energy development on resource conflicts.

Each chapter deals with a specific issue that characterizes the interdependency between critical raw materials and renewable energies by examining case studies from a particular conceptual perspective.   The book is a resource for students and researchers from the social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering, as well as interdisciplinary scholars interested in the field of renewable energies, the circular economy, recycling, transport, and mining. The book is also of interest to policymakers in the fields of renewable energy, recycling, and mining, professionals from the energy and resource industries, as well as energy experts and consultants looking for an interdisciplinary assessment of critical materials.

Provides a comprehensive overview of key issues related to the nexus between renewable energy and critical raw materials Explores interdisciplinary perspectives from the natural sciences, engineering, and social sciences Discusses critical strategies to address the nexus from a practitioner's perspective

1. The Material Basis of Energy Transitions – An Introduction 2. Social Science Perspectives on the Energy-Climate-Metals Nexus 3. Metal-Energy Nexus in the Global Energy Transition Calls for Cooperative Actions 4. Dependency of renewable energy technologies on critical resources 5. Stationary battery systems: Future challenges regarding Resources, Recycling and Sustainability 6. Making Critical Materials Valuable: Decarbonization, Investment & ‘Political Risk 7. Environmental Impacts of Mineral Sourcing and their Impacts on Criticality 8. Limits of LCA in the context of energy transition and its material basis 9. Critical Resources, Sustainability and Future Generations 10. Conflicts related to resources: The case of cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo 11. Voluntary Sustainability Initiatives – an approach to make mining more responsible? 12. The role of a circular economy for energy transition 13. Substitution of critical materials – a strategy to deal with material needs of energy transition? 14. Renewable energy technologies and their implications for critical materials from a sociology of consumption perspective – The case of photovoltaic systems and electric vehicles 15. Renewable Energy and Critical Minerals – A Field Worthy of Interdisciplinary Research