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Asia: Navigating the New Energy Silk Road

Critical minerals, policy, and the energy transition

The Energy Transition in Asia

Asia’s renewable energy landscape is defined by its strategic complexity. China's dominant role in the supply chain for essential minerals is complemented by Japan's technological prowess and India's renewable energy ambitions. Western initiatives to develop independent supply chains challenge China’s leadership in mining and processing, reducing dependence on its resources. Japan’s innovation and energy efficiency, alongside India’s renewable projects, bolster Asia’s position in the global energy market. This scenario is framed by Western countries' moves towards self-sufficiency, urging Asia, especially China and India, to adapt through sustainable practices, supply chain resilience, and technological advancements. These efforts are critical for maintaining Asia's leadership in the global transition towards sustainable energy amidst Western shifts towards localised production and resource management. Strengthening collaboration and innovation is essential for Asia's continued prominence in renewable energy, facing the dual challenges of adapting to global supply chain shifts and capitalising on regional strengths.

Latest news and insights

Stay ahead in the energy transition with SFA (Oxford)’s cutting-edge insights into how critical minerals, clean technology, ESG innovation, and global supply chain shifts are positioning Asia at the centre of industrial transformation and energy security.

Critical minerals could make the next outage permanent

18 November 2025 | Jamie Underwood, Ismet Soyocak

Cloudflare’s outage disrupted 20% of global web traffic, spotlighting the internet’s vulnerability to centralised systems, and the critical minerals powering them.

US and Japan Rare Earths Deal

28 October 2025 | Jamie Underwood

Japanese and US leaders sign rare earths and critical minerals deal to boost technology sharing and supply chain resilience.

Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia, with key deposits of tin, nickel, and rare earths, is essential for global electronics and renewable energy supply chains. The region's economies are at a crossroads, aiming to leverage mineral wealth for development while ensuring environmental protection.

Rare Earths Elements

Critical components powering the global economy, from high-tech consumer electronics to essential renewable energy technologies.

Minor Metals and Minerals

Minor metals play a pivotal role in advancing the energy transition by enabling significant improvements in energy efficiency and the performance of clean energy technologies.

Low Carbon and Future Technology Applications

Leveraging critical minerals demand and the energy transition for a tomorrow redefined, SFA (Oxford) evaluates the potential of future markets.

LithoX | Critical Minerals and the Global Energy Transition

The global energy transition to net zero is underway. Who is leading? How are supply chains being secured? How do the geopolitics vary? SFA (Oxford) provides a global overview of critical minerals, policy and legislation.

Meet the Critical Minerals team

Trusted advice from a dedicated team of experts.

Henk de Hoop

Chief Executive Officer

Beresford Clarke

Managing Director: Technical & Research

Jamie Underwood

Principal Consultant

Dr Jenny Watts

Critical Minerals Technologies Expert

Ismet Soyocak

ESG & Critical Minerals Lead

Thomas Shann Mills

Senior Machine Learning Engineer

Rj Coetzee

Senior Market Analyst: Battery Materials and Technologies

Franklin Avery

Commodity Analyst

How can we help you?

SFA (Oxford) provides bespoke, independent intelligence on the strategic metal markets, specifically tailored to your needs. To find out more about what we can offer you, please contact us.

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