It's only 20 years because we only have 20 years of data. Current evidence indicates that the lifetime is much longer, most likely many decades, if not hundreds or thousands of years. When you look at the global Vanadium resource size reported by organisations such as the USGS, you'll begin to get an idea of just how valuable our high grade vanadium deposits are.
Your assertions about hydrocarbon energy are clouded with religious dogma from the watermellon communists, aka the greenies. At a small scale consumer level, yes, hydrocarbons will experience severe pressure, HOWEVER, at an industrial scale they will reign supreme. Heavy industry will struggle with wind/solar/battery power.
I'll also point out that lithium batteries are not the way of the future due to their limited life. While the material should not be used for bulk storage or electric vehicles, the environmentally destructive ideology that emanates from the communist state of California is wrong to subsidise their uptake.
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