Industrial demand - real driver for silver or just a buzzword?

• •I've been in gold for over 20 years, pretty much since I retired from the plant here in Detroit, and that's been my bread and butter.
• •My question is, are we really seeing a fundamental shift here, or is this just another cycle of hype?
• •I remember similar talk back in the early 2000s, and while silver had its moments, it never quite lived up to the "next gold" predictions.

Been seeing a lot of chatter lately, especially around these new solar initiatives and EVs, about how industrial demand is going to send silver prices to the moon. I've been in gold for over 20 years, pretty much since I retired from the plant here in Detroit, and that's been my bread and butter. Silver's always been a bit more volatile for my taste, and I honestly only have a small percentage of my ~700k portfolio in it, mostly as a hedge against inflation and a bit of a legacy play for my grandkids.

My question is, are we really seeing a fundamental shift here, or is this just another cycle of hype? I remember similar talk back in the early 2000s, and while silver had its moments, it never quite lived up to the "next gold" predictions. With all the government spending plans now, particularly in renewables, it's hard to ignore the potential for increased usage. But is that enough to overcome all the other factors that influence precious metals?

I've always viewed silver more as an industrial metal with a monetary aspect, whereas gold is purely monetary for me. The idea of silver becoming genuinely scarce due to rising manufacturing needs is intriguing. What are your thoughts folks? For those of you who've been watching silver closely for a while, do you think this time is different? Or is it just the same old song with a slightly different tune?