A University of Michigan study reveals that the U.S. cannot mine copper quickly enough to meet the demands of transitioning to renewable energy as outlined in the Inflation Reduction Act. Electric vehicles and grid upgrades require significantly more copper than is currently produced.
“A normal Honda Accord needs about 40 pounds of copper. The same battery electric Honda Accord needs almost 200 pounds of copper. Onshore wind turbines require about 10 tons of copper, and in offshore wind turbines, that amount can more than double,” said Adam Simon, U-M professor of earth and environmental studies. “We show in the paper that the amount of copper needed is essentially impossible for mining companies to produce.
The researchers found that between 2018 and 2050, the world will need to mine 115% more copper than has been mined in all of human history up until 2018 just to meet “business as usual.” This would meet our current copper needs and support the developing world without considering the green energy transition.
Instead of fully electrifying the U.S. fleet of vehicles, the researchers suggest focusing on manufacturing hybrid vehicles.