Supply vs. Demand Gap

A supply versus demand gap chart combines a stacked area with an overlay line to show where supply is heading relative to demand. The stacked area represents total supply broken into layers — for example, operating capacity and committed projects. The dashed line represents projected demand. The visual gap between the top of the stack and the demand line is the entire point of the chart: it shows how large the shortfall is, when it begins to open, and whether it is growing or closing over the forecast horizon.

This format is the standard for commodity and resource investment theses. Copper, lithium, rare earths, hydrogen, grid power capacity, housing — any market where supply is constrained and demand is rising uses this structure. Private equity and venture capital firms use it in pitch decks to justify investing in supply-side businesses. Mining and energy companies use it in investor day presentations to contextualize their project pipelines. Consultants use it in market entry and strategic planning reports to frame the size of an opportunity.

The stacked area makes the supply composition legible — readers can see not just total supply but how much comes from existing operations versus projects under development. The dashed demand line signals that it is a forecast rather than a measured value, which is a meaningful distinction in long-horizon resource planning. The gap can be annotated directly on the chart to quantify the shortfall. All series colors, line styles, axis labels, and the forecast horizon can be edited in the chart editor. The finished chart exports as PPTX, PNG, or MP4.