WIEB held a webinar to share the findings of its Minerals Project under its Reserve Expenditure Program on December 13, 2023.
A group of critical materials (e.g., lithium, cobalt, silicon, graphite, nickel, copper, and rare earth elements) are required to produce solar generators, wind generators, and batteries. The clean energy transition will need critical minerals to build the significant increases of clean generation and battery storage resources required for success. The U.S. is currently dependent on importing these minerals from a few foreign nations. This project, conducted in partnership with the Colorado School of Mines, explored the potential for Western states and provinces to supply the critical minerals required for manufacturing these new technologies. The project concluded with a webinar presentation in December 2023.