Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/311641 
Year of Publication: 
2025
Series/Report no.: 
Working Paper No. 04.2025
Publisher: 
Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM), Milano
Abstract: 
The transition to a cleaner energy mix, essential for achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, will significantly increase demand for metals critical to renewable energy technologies. Energy Transition Metals (ETMs), including copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt, and rare earth elements, are indispensable for renewable energy generation and the electrification of global economies. However, their markets are characterized by high price volatility due to supply concentration, low substitutability, and limited price elasticity. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the price volatility of ETMs, a subset of Critical Raw Materials (CRMs). Using a combination of exploratory data analysis, data reduction, and visualization methods, we identify key features for accurate point and density forecasts. We evaluate various volatility models, including Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity (GARCH) and Stochastic Volatility (SV) models, to determine their forecasting performance. Our findings reveal significant heterogeneity in ETM volatility patterns, which challenge standard groupings by data providers and geological classifications. The results contribute to the literature on CRM economics and commodity volatility, offering novel insights into the complex dynamics of ETM markets and the modeling of their returns and volatilities.
Subjects: 
Critical Raw Materials
Energy Transition
Features
Volatility
Forecasting
Density forecasts
JEL: 
C22
C53
C58
Q02
Q30
Q42
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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