Ed Conway, Economics editor at Sky News, discusses his book 'Material World' which explores the history and future of crucial substances. Topics include the significance of materials in infrastructure, challenges in achieving net zero carbon emissions in the steel industry, risks associated with spoil piles, the role of copper in the energy transition, and ethical concerns around battery materials.
Understanding the role of materials like sand, salt, and copper is crucial for grasping how the world works.
The extraction and processing methods of sand have environmental implications.
Transitioning from fossil fuels to sustainable alternatives requires addressing economic implications and practical challenges.
Deep dives
The Importance of Materials in Our Physical World
We live not only in a world of data and artificial intelligence, but also in a world of physical stuff made from various materials. Materials play a crucial role in everything we see around us, from buildings and cars to equipment and furniture. Understanding the materials that go into our everyday objects is important for grasping how the world works.
Exploring the Significance of Sand
Sand is a fundamental material with diverse applications. It is crucial for making glass, which is not only historically significant but also plays a key role in modern technology like fiber optics. Sand is also essential for producing silicon chips used in various electronic devices and solar panels. Additionally, sand is a major component of concrete, a widely used construction material. While sand resources are abundant, its extraction and processing methods have environmental implications.
The Vital Role of Salt in our World
Salt is an important material that goes far beyond its common use as table salt. It is a critical component in the production of various compounds and elements, such as soda ash, caustic soda, and chlorine. These compounds are essential for manufacturing a wide range of products, including pharmaceuticals, fertilizers, and plastics. Salt mining and processing continue to be significant industries today, contributing to the global chemicals and pharmaceutical sectors.
The Integral Role of Copper in Our Lives
Copper is a versatile material that is predominantly used as an electrical conductor. It is essential for transmitting electricity and plays a crucial role in numerous electrical applications. The demand for copper is expected to surge with the increasing need for electrification as we transition to cleaner energy sources. While copper resources are abundant, meeting the growing demand requires efficient extraction methods and addressing environmental concerns associated with mining and waste management.
The challenge of transitioning from fossil fuels to sustainable alternatives
The podcast episode explores the complex challenge of transitioning from fossil fuels to sustainable alternatives. The speaker highlights the importance of addressing the energy transition and the difficulties associated with replacing oil and gas, especially in industries like plastics production. The discussion emphasizes the need for a more nuanced conversation around the topic, taking into account the economic implications and practical challenges of phasing out fossil fuels.
The role of lithium batteries in the energy transition and recycling challenges
Another key focus of the podcast episode revolves around the role of lithium batteries in the energy transition. The speaker discusses the growing importance of lithium-ion batteries and the positive impact they have had in transforming the energy and lighting sectors. The conversation delves into the sources of lithium, such as the lithium triangle in South America and Australia, and the need to ensure sustainable mining practices. Additionally, the challenges of battery recycling are touched upon, with the speaker highlighting the early stages of progress and the potential for further advancements in the future.
Kicking-off 2024 and Season 11 is Ed Conway. Ed is the Economics editor at Sky News, covering major UK and international economics, business and political stories. He is also economics columnist for The Times, and has been one of the longest-running economics editors in UK journalism, having started covering the sector in 2003. He is the author of the book on Bretton Woods, The Summit: The Biggest Battle Of The Second World War – Fought Behind Closed Doors (Little, Brown, 2014) and an economics guidebook, 50 Economics Ideas You Really Need to Know (Quercus, 2009). Ed is a governor of the National Institute for Economic and Social Research, and has lectured on the international monetary system at the London School of Economics, the US Treasury and many other forums.
His new book, Material World: A Substantial Story of Our Past and Future, explores the history, future and importance of six crucial substances: sand, salt, iron, copper, oil and lithium.
Links
Check out Material World here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Material-World-Substantial-Story-Future/dp/0753559153
Check out Oliver Rackham's The History of the Countryside here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/History-Countryside-Dr-Oliver-Rackham/dp/1842124404
Read Hans Eric Meilin's research on the real rates of lithium recycling: https://www.energimyndigheten.se/globalassets/forskning--innovation/overgripande/state-of-the-art-in-reuse-and-recycling-of-lithium-ion-batteries-2019.pdf
Related Episodes
Episode 16 - Dr Kandeh K. Yumkella: "Sustainable Energy for All": https://www.cleaningup.live/episode-16-kandeh-yumkella/
Episode 92 - Simon Morrish: "650 Leagues of HVDC Under the Sea": https://www.cleaningup.live/ep92-simon-morrish-650-leagues-of-hvdc-under-the-sea/
Episode 142 - Alex Grant: "Metals Refining - From Mining to Brining": https://www.cleaningup.live/metals-refining-from-mining-to-brining-ep-142-alex-grant/
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