Clean energy transition could lead to metals shortage, finds new report

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This week, we learned how the race for net-zero emissions could increase the demand for metals so much that we see shortages and price spikes.

Plus, a research team have cracked a more efficient way to produce hydrogen from sunlight, and China’s “shcramjet”-powered hypersonic wind tunnel is already finding a role. All these stories, and many more, below.

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A new report highlights a drawback to the clean energy transition if action is not taken swiftly. It warns that shortages of lithium, nickel, graphite, cobalt, neodymium and copper could lead to higher prices and delay the global goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.

The future of clean hydrogen energy just got brighter. Researchers have created a solar reactor that produces hydrogen with record-breaking efficiency. By using protective coatings and perovskite semiconductors, the reactor can continuously split water for over 100 hours without deterioration.

China's JF-22 hypervelocity wind tunnel, a massive 548 feet long facility, is now operational after passing an acceptance check. New footage provides a glimpse of a high-speed oblique detonation wave engine, or a "shcramjet," used to power the wind tunnel. The space plane design tested in the tunnel echoes previously released concepts by Chinese aerospace firms.

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“With further improvements to stability and scale, this technology could open up the hydrogen economy and change the way humans make things from fossil fuel to solar fuel.”

Austin Fehr, Rice University, talking about producing hydrogen fuel from sunlight with greater efficiency.

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