Rich in minerals, poor in processing: Africa’s green-energy dilemma

What the report says

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