How Much Metal is Used in Clean Energy?
In 2022, a record 12% of all global power was harnessed from solar and wind, up from 10% in 2021, underscoring the growth of clean energy sources.
Essential minerals that form the foundation of clean energy technologies are at the heart of this transition. But what makes these minerals so indispensable?
This infographic, sponsored by Teck, looks at how much, and what types of metals are used in clean energy.
Clean Energy Uses More Metal
Clean energy systems, on average, require more minerals to build. Let’s take a look at the amount needed for wind and solar applications.
| Offshore wind | Onshore wind | Solar PV | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper | 8,000 kg/MW | 2,900 kg/MW | 2,822 kg/MW |
| Zinc | 5,500 kg/MW | 5,500 kg/MW | 30 kg/MW |
| Manganese | 790 kg/MW | 780 kg/MW | – |
| Chromium | 525 kg/MW | 470 kg/MW | – |
| Nickel | 240 kg/MW | 404 kg/MW | 1 kg/MW |
| Rare Earths | 239 kg/MW | 14 kg/MW | – |
| Molybdenum | 109 kg/MW | 99 kg/MW | – |
| Silicon | – | – | 3,948 kg/MW |
| Others | 6 kg/MW | – | 32 kg/MW |
Offshore wind uses the largest amount of metals here, with its copper demand alone reaching around 8,000 kilograms per megawatt of energy.
A Closer Look at Copper
Copper is the world’s third most used industrial metal and is essential for clean energy technologies due to its (Read more…)