The transition to electric vehicles has been bumpy so far, but it’s happening. The Detroit Three auto companies are still scaling up their EV fleets, and that means a need for batteries.
You’ve probably heard that more EVs on the road means an increased demand for more lithium, a key electric battery component. Did you also know these kinds of batteries require a lot of copper? The metal is also an essential element in other green technology like wind turbines and solar panels—as well as basic infrastructure like electrical lines.
That means that the demand for copper has gotten a whole lot bigger in recent years. And Adam Simon says there just isn't enough mining capacity to meet it. Simon is a professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Michigan. His research has included projects on how copper occurs naturally.
And he recently published an analysis about the gap between copper supply and demand as the world looks to move toward greener energy sources. Listen to our interview above to hear more.
GUEST ON THIS EPISDOE:
- Adam Simon, professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Michigan
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