On this week’s episode of Lever Time, David Sirota and Peter Goodman, The New York Times’ global economics correspondent, explore the pivotal role of Indonesia’s vast nickel reserve in the global electric vehicle (EV) revolution and the high-stakes geopolitical chess game the mineral has ignited.
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The strategic tug-of-war between the U.S. and China over nickel — a crucial component for electric vehicle batteries — has implications for global trade dynamics and international alliances. If China dominates the EV supply chain, what does that mean for the U.S.’ electric vehicle ambitions? The conversation serves as a reminder of how formerly mundane resources like nickel will become embroiled in increasingly complicated geopolitical issues in a future reliant on clean energy.
A transcript of this episode is available here.
Links:
- Peter Goodman’s article on the subject, “How Geopolitics Is Complicating the Move to Clean Energy.”
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I believe your observations are correct, but I am concerned about our aging and inadequate national Electrical infrastructure. There are states such as mine, CT, that are asking people to reduce their electrical usage. The electrical companies inform us that the overall usage of electricity is overloading the systems and they will be going to "rolling brownouts". I have read that there are states that are actually doing "rolling blackouts". Blackouts and Brownouts may be necessary, but given the huge electrical bills families pay along with the state and federal subsidies to electrical and fossil fuels corporations, I find this not only concerning, but unacceptably negligent and greedy of all the corporations benefiting from those social welfare.
It is well past time these until utilities and fossil fuel parasites became owned by the citizens that fund them. This will increase monies for improved infrastructure and lower the cost of energy in all its forms of delivery.
My point is, that while I accept the need for alternative sources of energy for transportation etc., how is this country going to handle a substantial increase in electrical usage?
I'm sure the sacrifices will be made by the consumers at the bottom of the pyramid as always. The reality is there has always been sacrificing of quality of life by the less affluent and there really isn't room for more. With the Federal Reserve putting the squeeze on the workers and their families for corporate interests I'm not hopeful that the citizens that actually pay for the nation's infrastructure can pay more for a necessary robust improvement that they will not be able to make use of. Frankly, most of the pyramid base cannot afford EVs.
I'm sorry this comment is rambling, but really, do we have to have a costly and painful war over a resource most people won't be able to access?
Thank you, Ellen
Sorry again for the rambling.