The global battery economy is poised to transform into the “new oil” and will alter international supply chains, say Morgan Stanley analysts in a report. Equity analysts at the investment bank forecast that the battery economy could climb to $500 billion within the next two decades. This, they note, would be supported by greater penetration of battery-powered electric vehicle sales, projected to account for nearly one-third of the global market by 2030. The so-called new oil is considered a “cross asset” that “sits at the nexus of equity sectors, ESG, commodities, and public policy,” adding that “these drivers contribute to an industrial ‘flywheel’ that accelerates capital formation, lowers costs, and, ultimately, provides a path to commercial scale.” Market observers warn of multiple challenges that would prevent industry sales from surging to 50 percent. For example, Morgan Stanley noted that battery-cell supply chain development, public policy, and hydrogen fuel cells would …