CLIENT
Davide Monteleone National Geographic
SERVICES
"Data visualisation Editorial design Exhibition graphics"
RECOGNITIONS
Published in a fine art concertina book (10,000 copies) Exhibited at Mudec, Museum of Cultures, Milan, Italy
LINKS
Explore the story
What is the hidden cost of the clean energy transition?
In collaboration with photographer Davide Monteleone, we created a series of data visualisations to accompany his award-winning reportage "Critical Minerals – Geography of Energy". The oucome is a multi-chapter narrative encompassing still images, a documentary film, and an immersive art installation. This endeavour explores the profound transformation in the global energy landscape — and its complex social, economic, and geopolitical tensions.
Challenge
The energy transition is often framed as purely technological, yet behind every solar panel, wind turbine, or battery lies an intricate web of extraction, ownership, and trade. Our challenge was to make these hidden dynamics visible, while supporting Davide’s narrative with clarity and visual authority.
Solution
We developed a set of visualisations that revealed three key dynamics: global supply chains, mapping where critical minerals are produced and projected to grow; demand by technology, showing how wind, solar, and EVs drive surges in specific materials; and production vs. ownership, exposing the mismatch between where resources are mined and who controls them.
Impact
By visualising the material foundations of clean energy, the project reframed the energy transition as not only a technological challenge, but a question of equity, geopolitics, and human cost. Exhibited at Mudec in Milan and widely distributed through the book, the series demonstrated how data storytelling and photojournalism together can spark deeper reflection on the future we are building.
Want to bring data into your storytelling?
Let’s design visual narratives that make complex issues impossible to ignore.
CREDITS
Data Visualisation & Design: Valentina D'Efilippo Photography & Concept: Davide Monteleone Book design: Hannah Feldmeier
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