The ability of copper mine to keep up with the growing demand has been a key issue facing the global shift to electronic vehicles, according to a recent study from the University of Michigan.
Engineering &, Technology reports that metal, a critical component in energy generation, transmission, and storage, is essential to the effective implementation of policies aimed at promoting the adoption of EVs. But, a recent study from the University of Michigan, titled” Copper mine and vehicle electrification,” has revealed that the current level of copper output is insufficient to meet the metal’s projected demand in the coming years.
Employees of the Next Mineral mining firm inspect the Comahue metal plant in Antofagasta, Chile, on March 1, 2021. ( Photo by Glenn ARCOS / AFP ) ( Photo by GLENN ARCOS/AFP via Getty Images )
According to GlobalData, there are over 709 functional copper mine worldwide, with the Escondida me in Chile being the largest, producing an estimated 882, 100 lots of metal in 2023. Despite this ostensibly large output, the miners company’s ability to keep up is being hampered by the fast pace of global electrification. In reality, the authors assert that” we show in the papers that mining companies ‘ production of the amount of metal is largely impossible.”
The research in Michigan focuses on the fact that an Vehicle requires three to five times more metal than conventional gas or diesel vehicles, as well as the additional metal needed to upgrade the electricity grid. A typical Honda Accord needs about 40 weight of metal, according to Professor Adam Simon from the University of Michigan. The exact battery-electric Honda Accord requires about 200 pounds of copper.
The researchers modeled the good copper output for the majority of the century based on 120 years of worldwide data on copper production, which date back to 1900. They compared this to the anticipated metal requirements for the US’s transportation system and vehicle ships to transition to renewable energy. The study came to the conclusion that metal needed by solar energy may far exceed copper mines ‘ current capacity for production.
Without taking into account the transition to clean energy, the world will need to mine 115 pct more copper than has been mined in all of human history up until 2050 in order to match existing copper needs. Up to six new large copper mines must be operational annually over the next few decades in order to meet the copper demands of electrifying the world’s fleet, with about 40 % of the output from these new mines required for EV-related grid upgrades.
The study suggests that focusing on producing hybrid vehicles might be a more practical option than fully electrifying the entire US fleet of automobiles. Professor Simon notes,” We know, for example, that a Toyota Prius actually has a slightly better impact on climate than a Tesla. Instead of producing 20 million EVs in the US and, globally, 100 million battery EVs each year, would it be more feasible to focus on building 20 million hybrid vehicles”?
Read more at , Engineering &, Technology , here.
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