DeepSummary
The podcast discusses the critical role of lithium in the transition to green energy technologies, such as electric vehicles and household appliances. Ernest Scheyder, the author of the book 'The War Below,' explains how lithium's lightweight and conductive properties make it essential for lithium-ion batteries, driving the massive projected demand for lithium by 2040 to meet climate goals.
The episode highlights the controversy surrounding lithium mining at Rhyolite Ridge in Nevada, where a rare flower species exists only in that specific lithium-rich soil. This scenario raises questions about prioritizing environmental conservation or exploiting natural resources for clean energy development.
Scheyder discusses the potential for a domestic mining revival in the United States to reduce reliance on global supply chains and carbon emissions from shipping. He also explores emerging technologies like direct lithium extraction, which could unlock new lithium sources without significant environmental impact. Overall, the episode underscores the tough choices and trade-offs involved in powering the green energy transition.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Lithium is a crucial component for electric vehicle batteries and green technologies due to its lightweight and conductive properties.
- There is a trade-off between exploiting lithium resources for clean energy and preserving biodiversity and the environment.
- Domestic lithium production in the United States can reduce supply chain vulnerabilities, carbon emissions from shipping, and increase energy independence.
- Emerging technologies like direct lithium extraction could unlock new domestic lithium sources with minimal environmental impact.
- Controlling the production of critical minerals like lithium and cobalt will be strategically important in shaping the 21st century economy, akin to the role of petroleum in the 20th century.
- The demand for lithium is expected to grow exponentially by 2040 to meet climate goals and the transition to electric vehicles and green technologies.
- There are concerns about potential oversupply and cooling demand for lithium in the short term, leading some companies to scale back investments.
- The United States has the potential to become a lithium powerhouse through traditional mining and innovative extraction methods, but regulatory and environmental challenges remain.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “This site also features a rare flower that's found nowhere else on the planet. And this flower loves this lithium rich soil, and it really brings to the reader this idea of choice. What do we value more as we have this green energy transition accelerate? Do we value ways to fight climate change more? Do we value biodiversity more? If we did nothing about climate change, would this flower go extinct due to climate change anyhow?“ by Ernest Scheyder
- “And if the coronavirus pandemic taught us anything, it's that really long supply chains or relying on other parts of the world for the building blocks of our everyday lives isn't as feasible as it once was. And so the more lithium and other critical minerals that are produced domestically in the United States, the shorter the supply chains, the less carbon emissions there are from shipping, and the more energy independence, or at least striving for energy independence, can be achieved in the United States.“ by Ernest Scheyder
- “So this is an area that's been a huge cost for the oil industry for years. And if they could turn into a profit area by producing lithium, you could just imagine the sheer potential for lithium production that could be in the United States.“ by Ernest Scheyder
- “Whoever controls the nickel and copper and lithium and cobalt production in the 21st century will control this century's economy the way that control of petroleum helped define the 20th century's economy.“ by Ernest Scheyder
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Episode Information
Marketplace Tech
Marketplace
1/31/24
In 2021, the Biden administration put out a report about gaps in the supply chain for electric vehicles. It estimated global demand for lithium and graphite would grow by more than 4,000% by 2040 if the world were to achieve the climate goals laid out in the Paris accords. These materials, along with copper, nickel and others, are critical to green technologies. And there is a global fight over their supply, one that Reuters correspondent Ernest Scheyder documents in his new book, “The War Below: Lithium, Copper, and the Global Battle to Power Our Lives.” He told Marketplace’s Lily Jamali about why lithium, in particular, is in such high demand and the challenges of bringing it to market.