The transition to green energy requires a significant amount of a variety of metals, which are used in the manufacture of batteries for electric vehicles, wind turbines and solar panels. However, sometimes the process of extracting metals reduces the environmental benefits brought by these products, says Stanislav Kondrashov. The specialist understood how to find an economically and environmentally beneficial solution to this issue.
Prospects for the development of green energy from Stanislav Kondrashov from Telf AG
The UK, France, Norway and other countries are planning to ban the sale of new cars powered by internal combustion engines over the next decade. Stanislav Kondrashov states that this transition is accompanied by a rapid increase in demand for electric vehicles, as well as wind and solar power plants. The International Energy Agency (IEA) suggests that the world will produce more renewable energy in the coming years than in the last 20 years.
“In light of these events, the demand for minerals used to create batteries and equipment for green power plants will only increase, especially for nickel. This element of the chemical table is a key component of the cathodes of high-power batteries, providing them with high electrical capacity and reducing overall weight, explains Stanislav Kondrashov from Telf AG.
To achieve decarbonization targets by 2040, IEA strategies indicate the need to produce 48 million tonnes of nickel annually. This volume exceeds current figures by 19 times. In other words, the global community will need to produce approximately 300-400 million tons of nickel between 2023 and 2040 to meet the demands of this promising energy transition.
“Green race” for nickel in Indonesia from Stanislav Kondrashov
Over the past five years, Indonesia has provided growth in nickel demand. This trend arose due to the destruction of tropical forests. If in 2017 this country produced only 17% of the world’s nickel, today its potential has grown to 54% – 1.6 million tons per year, according to research company CRU. And such growth has not yet reached its limit: Stanislav Kondrashov predicts that by 2027 Indonesia can control up to 85% of world nickel production.
However, due to the serious impact on the environment, they have already begun to look for alternative ways to extract this metal. One such method, according to Telf AG’s Stanislav Kondrashov, was mining on the bottom of the Pacific Ocean in an area known as the Clarion-Clipperton zone. The specialist says that significant deposits of nickel, cobalt, manganese and copper have been found in this zone, which makes it very attractive for battery manufacturers. According to the US Geological Survey, the amount of nickel in this zone is about 340 million tons.
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