Amazon and XPRIZE Tackle Clean Energy Supply Risks

Critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper and rare earth elements are at the very core of the energy transition.

They support renewable energy systems and electric transport, making them essential for a low carbon economy.

However, according to Amazon, the systems that move these minerals around the world are concentrated and exposed to disruption. This creates risks for energy security and slows the pace of decarbonisation.

At the same time, communities near extraction sites face unsafe working conditions, human rights concerns and environmental harm.

To address these challenges, Amazon is partnering with XPRIZE to launch a global challenge focused on improving how critical minerals are sourced, processed and reused.

Advancing circular mineral systems

The XPRIZE Critical Minerals grand challenge is an initiative which aims to develop scalable solutions that improve material circularity.

Circularity keeps materials in use for as long as possible through reuse, recycling and redesign.

The IEA projects that demand for critical minerals will increase fourfold by 2040. This growth will place pressure on existing supply chains and highlight the need for new approaches that reduce dependency on raw extraction.

Kara Hurst, Amazon’s Chief Sustainability Officer, explains the urgency of the effort: "Critical minerals are foundational to transitioning to cleaner energy, but today's supply chains weren't designed for the scale or speed of tomorrow's demand.

"The XPRIZE Critical Minerals competition aims to mobilise innovators worldwide to develop solutions that don't just recover and reuse these materials more effectively, but fundamentally redesign how they flow through the global economy.

“This is about building supply chain resilience, protecting human rights in mining communities and ensuring the technologies powering decarbonisation are designed for sustainability and economic viability."

Linking energy transition with fairness

The partnership also aims to reflect the concept of a “just transition."

The International Labour Organization defines this as “greening the economy in a way that is as fair and inclusive as possible, creating decent work opportunities and leaving no one behind". 

For Amazon, this means aligning climate goals with respect for workers and communities involved in mineral production.

The company aims to support safe working conditions and fair pay, while expanding access to jobs linked to the energy transition.

This connects directly to Amazon’s Climate Pledge, which targets net zero carbon emissions by 2040.

The company is investing in more than 700 wind and solar projects and supports a growing fleet of over 35,000 electric delivery vehicles powered by battery technology.

Alongside infrastructure investment, Amazon works to improve supply chain transparency and accountability.

It supports initiatives such as the Responsible Minerals Initiative and The Copper Mark, which promote responsible sourcing practices and higher environmental and social standards.

Competition targets supply chain resilience

The XPRIZE Critical Minerals competition invites innovators from startups, research institutions and industry to develop solutions across several areas:

• Reducing reliance on vulnerable supply chains
• Safeguarding and advancing human rights and ecosystems
• Unlocking economically viable pathways for circular mineral production
• Enhancing the rate of responsible mineral sourcing.

Anousheh Ansari, XPRIZE’s CEO, outlines the ambition behind the programme.

“Our collaboration with Amazon reflects a shared commitment to strengthening supply chains and advancing more responsible solutions for the clean energy transition," she says.

"XPRIZE Critical Minerals will challenge innovators worldwide, from startups and research institutions to entrepreneurs developing breakthrough technologies, to develop sustainable, scalable solutions that meet future demands.”

The competition aims to generate ideas that governments, industries and investors can adopt with confidence.

By doing so, it seeks to unlock funding and support for technologies that strengthen the energy transition while reducing environmental and social risks tied to mineral supply.

Through this partnership, Amazon and XPRIZE place focus on one of the less visible but essential elements of the clean energy system: the materials that make it possible.