Green technologies are mineral-intensive: electric vehicles, batteries, solar panels, wind turbines and grids need cobalt, lithium, copper, manganese, graphite and rare earths. The International Energy Agency estimates that electric cars require six times more minerals than a petrol or diesel car. A wind power plant requires about nine times more minerals than a gas-fired plant.
As the global green transition speeds up, the growing demand for green technologies and minerals creates an opening for Africa, which has deposits of several of the minerals needed.
