The hidden cost of renewable energy: A quantile view for environmental management on critical metals

Destek M. A., Radulescu M., Özkan O., Balsalobre-Lorente D.

Journal of Environmental Management, vol.389, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus) identifier identifier

  • Nəşrin Növü: Article / Article
  • Cild: 389
  • Nəşr tarixi: 2025
  • Doi nömrəsi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.126089
  • jurnalın adı: Journal of Environmental Management
  • Jurnalın baxıldığı indekslər: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, BIOSIS, Compendex, EMBASE, Environment Index, Geobase, Greenfile, Index Islamicus, Public Affairs Index, Social Sciences Abstracts
  • Açar sözlər: Critical metals, Environmental management, Metal production, Quantiles, Renewable energy
  • Açıq Arxiv Kolleksiyası: Məqalə
  • Adres: Yox

Qısa məlumat

The present state of renewable energy technology is controversial owing to the environmental effects of the metals needed to produce renewable energy. In light of this, this research examines the global environmental effects of using certain metals—such as aluminium, cobalt, copper, nickel, and zinc—necessary for renewable energy. In the process, the quantile-on-quantile ARDL (QQARDL) approach is used to evaluate the historical data set from 1901 to 2023. Long-term increases in metal production in the lower and intermediate quantiles of emission raise the emission level for almost all metals, according to the analyses conducted using the approach developed for this research. However, this impact either diminishes or vanishes in the quantiles of high emissions. Policy recommendations are made to regulate environmental management against the possible emission-increasing effects of critical metals.