Luxbacher Serves as Expert on Clean Energy's Mining Requirements

The Biden Administration's goals of reaching a 100% clean energy economy and net-zero emissions no later than 2050 may be even more complex than they sound. Analysists have stated that the plan would require a sharp increase in mining to reach net-zero levels in less than three decades. 

MGE Department Head, Gregory H. and Lisa S. Boyce Leadership Chair and Professor Kray Luxbacher recently served as a subject matter expert for fact-checking news outlet Politifact about the science and policy behind net-zero carbon emissions — where greenhouse gas emissions are as close to zero as possible, and any remaining emissions are "cancelled" out.

Many green energy technologies rely on mined minerals, such as copper, nickel and lithium. Luxbacher explained that doubling more than 10 types of mining wouldn’t be implausible for the mineral requirements needed to reach net-zero by 2040 or 2050.

"For some minerals, far more than doubling of production will be required (to reach net-zero) … even using more conservative sustainable development scenarios," she said.