Meeting the critical supply-demand gap entails not only increasing supply but also championing alternative energy sources and solutions to curtail storage needs and material demand. Yet, the green transition may be slower and may rely on a more diverse set of solutions than initially thought. Global oil and gas exploration spending will increase to over US$ 22 billion in the coming years – compared with a US$ 13 billion budget for aggregate non-ferrous exploration. Nuclear still accounts for the single largest energy source in the EU (600 out of 2,400 TWh). Are the current supply-demand gap analyses for energy-related materials realistic? What will the impact of rapidly emerging technologies be? How will this change the investors’ appetite for green energy, minerals and metals?

The session advocates for a comprehensive approach, that fuses increased supply with pioneering technologies, like iron-air batteries batteries and game-changing alternative solar cells, and alternative energy sources, such as natural hydrogen and geothermal, ensuring an agile response to escalating demand while fortifying energy security. Can we quantify raw material volumes to make it tangible? Who can spearhead this, and what level of investment is needed? Participants will also gain exclusive insights into ERMA's ground-breaking second Action Plan on Energy Storage and Conversion, unravelling transformative shifts in the supply-demand equation.