MATERIALS AND WATER NEEDS IN A DECARBONIZING WORLD, A LONG-TERM ANALYSIS BASED ON TIAM-FR
Résumé
In the climate crisis context, the development of low-carbon technology capacities is necessary to limit the energy system’s greenhouse gas emissions. But adopting these technologies will increase power generation and transport’s material needs, especially metal needs. This article aims to study the levers and obstacles affecting the availability of materials needed for the energy transition, through a bibliographic state-of-the-art and in a long-term study with the TIAM-FR bottom-up optimization model. The geopolitical mutations entailed by the energy transition context and its material needs come with international competition, policy evolution, local tensions and environmental damages. This study highlights the consequences on metal needs of scenarios with ambitious climate policies and fresh water restrictions. All show a future increase in the quantity of studied metals needed for renewable electricity generation. The solar PV share in the electricity mix greatly impacts metal needs.