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I can't wrap my head around how much lithium or other rare earth metals will need to be mined to transition entirely to solar, wind, and electric cars. What cou
by 2OEH8eoCRo0 4y ago
I can't wrap my head around how much lithium or other rare earth metals will need to be mined to transition entirely to solar, wind, and electric cars. What countries are these mined in? What percentage of the US grid is from wind or solar? Like 10%?
- diordiderot 4y agoHere is a nice infographic of one years mining output for perspective https://elements.visualcapitalist.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/All-the-Metals-We-Mined.jpg https://elements.visualcapitalist.com/wp-content/uploads/202...
- tuatoru 4y ago> What percentage of the US grid is from wind or solar? That question needs to be qualified with a date and time. It's a moving target. Generally: number go up.
- moloch-hai 4y agoNo lithium or "rare earths" (which are not anyway at all rare) are needed for a transition to solar and wind for power. Electric cars use lithium, just now, and a bit of rare-earths. (They are used in wiper and window motors.) Cars are their own thing, which we would be better off with less of. Obviously before you have built out wind and solar, you don't have much yet. It is a vacuous observation. Instead, look at the rate of deployment, which follows a classic exponential curve.
- vel0city 4y ago26% of electricity generated in Texas in 2021 was from wind. Installed wind and solar capacity has grown quite a bit since 2021.