TechStuff The Future is Battery-Powered - The Story
Feb 4, 2026
Nicolas Niarchos, journalist and author of The Elements of Power, reports on critical metals and the human and geopolitical costs of battery supply chains. He traces how cobalt and other metals reshape global power. He explains China’s refining and manufacturing edge, U.S. strategic moves in the DRC, and whether trade deals and new chemistries can clean up the system.
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Batteries Are The New Geopolitical Resource
- Batteries now power everyday life and underpin tech, transport, and military uses.
- Nicolas Niarchos argues critical metals will define 21st-century geopolitics like oil did in the 20th century.
Invest In Domestic Battery Ecosystems
- Build domestic refining, battery factories, and research ecosystems to convert raw supply into strategic advantage.
- Invest heavily and fund pilot projects rather than merely controlling mines abroad.
China Dominates Refining And R&D
- China refines ~90% of critical battery metals and built deep industrial and research capacity.
- Nicolas warns the US lacks comparable researchers and manufacturing scale to compete easily.
