Building these technologies is a mineral-intensive process. From aluminum and chromium to rare earths and cobalt, as Visual Capitalist details below, the energy transition is creating massive demand for a range of minerals.

Copper is one such mineral, which stands out due to its critical role in building both the technologies as well as the infrastructure that allows us to harness their power.

The above infographic from Trilogy Metals highlights the role of copper in renewable energy, and how the adoption of wind and solar energy will affect its demand going forward.

Copper's Role in Renewable Energy

Copper has one of the highest thermal and electrical conductivity of all metals. As a result, it's the most widely-used mineral among energy technologies and is essential for all electricity-related infrastructure.

According to Navigant Research, here's how much copper wind and solar farms use per megawatt: