Link: https://www.energy.gov/quadrennial-technology-review-2015 Please see link above for source information. These graphs were provided by Terry Donze, geologist.
Materials in electric generating stations, internal combustion automobiles, and electric vehicles U.S. Department of Energy, DOE Quadrennial Technology Review 2015
The above graph shows that renewables: solar photovoltaic panels, hydro-electric, and wind turbines require a lot more materials per unit of energy produced than natural gas and nuclear power. This causes a lot of environmental destruction in mining and pollution in waste dumps, particularly over the long term. Geothermal electric
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generating stations have very limited sites and are not important in a discussion of global energy needs. There is no reason given for excluding coal. It may be an anti-coal extreme green government policy.
The above graph shows the additional materials required in electric cars versus conventional gasoline powered cars. Most of these additional specialty elements are required for the battery and electric motor in the electric vehicle. It turns out that a gas tank is an amazingly simple, non-polluting component compared with an electric vehicle battery. Electric vehicles require a lot more specialty mining with related pollution and labor problems. They are not the harmless, nature protecting transportation extreme green governments claim they are.
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