Considering the quest to meet both sustainable development and energy security goals, we explore the ramifications of explosive growth in the global demand for lithium to meet the needs for batteries in plug-in electric vehicles and grid-scale energy storage. We find that heavy dependence on lithium will create energy security risks because China has a dominant position in the lithium supply chain and both Europe and North America seek to curtail reliance on China throughout their supply chains. We also find that efforts to expand lithium mining have been much less successful in Chile, the United States, and Europe than in Australia. Local communities resist licensing of new lithium mines due to a variety of environmental, social, and economic concerns. There are alternative technologies that may make lithium mining more sustainable such as direct lithium extraction, but the timing of commercialization of this process is uncertain. Progress is also being made in battery recycling and in alternative battery designs that do not use lithium. Such advances are unlikely to attenuate the global rate of growth in lithium demand prior to 2030. We conclude that tradeoffs between sustainability and energy security are real, especially in the next decade.

The transition to plug-in electric vehicles is examined from the consumer’s perspective. Since risk-averse consumers perceive disadvantages as well as advantages, consumers are reluctant to choose electric propulsion without significant nudges from the government. Norway, California, Germany and China are analyzed to determine why and how electric vehicles are promoted by public policies. Each jurisdiction has accomplished rates of electric-vehicle penetration that are far above the global average. This success is largely attributed to various policies which range from vehicle mandates, producer and/or consumer subsidies, or taxation in respective regions—otherwise PEVs remain relatively unappealing to risk-averse consumers. Demand and supply side policies have been effective tools in spurring adoption of the new electric propulsion system. Norway is one notable jurisdiction that has PEV penetration exceeding 80% of new vehicle sales despite no supply side incentives. Germany has recently surpassed California and China in PEV penetration rate, though all three jurisdictions exceeded 10 percent by 2020 or early 2021. Research is recommended to identify ways to encourage consumer adoption of electric vehicles.

Despite the potential environmental and economic benefits of carbon capture and storage (CCS), many factors limit its prospects for implementation, including economic feasibility, geologic and legal constraints, risk uncertainties, and public acceptance. This study focuses on the challenge of public acceptance and support by analyzing survey data on publis attitudes toward CCS implementation in the coal-intensive state of Indiana. It was determined that specific information that defined individuals’ general world views can be used to predict support or opposition for CCS implementation. However, additional analysis found that specific attitudes about potential CCS risks and benefits are also significantly correlated with support or opposition to CCS implementation. These variables include: the respondents’ impressions of the potential dangers associated with CCS; attitudes about the potential for CCS implementation to bring jobs to the local economy; and the amount of fear of a CCS facility near their home or community.

This article examines the rise and recent decline of Tesla in the U.S. electric vehicle market. Using qualitative, semi-quantitative, and statistical methods, the article traces how Tesla acquired a first-mover advantage and how second movers, both established automakers and start-ups, responded to Tesla’s rise. The recent decline in Tesla’s share of the U.S. electric vehicle market is linked to several factors: the proliferation of electric vehicle offerings from competitors, changes in public policy, and controversial decisions by Tesla and its CEO. The article concludes with a discussion of promising future strategies for both Tesla and its competitors.