Energy transition: IRENA highlights raw material bottlenecks

In a new report, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) warns of „supply disruptions“ that could slow the energy transition in the short or medium term. Rising demand for raw materials for the energy transition and the concentration of extraction and processing in a small number of countries and companies could lead to supply bottlenecks, according to IRENA. For lithium, a „mismatch between supply and demand“ can already be observed today. The organization warns, for example, of export restrictions, resource nationalism and political instability in major producing countries.