Key points for lithium battery project investment negotiation

What are the key lithium projects in the EU?

Other key lithium projects in the development pipeline in the EU include CEZ Group and European Metals’ Cinovec project in the Czech Republic. European Metals announced that it has entered into a support and financial agreement with EIT InnoEnergy, the innovation engine of the European Battery Alliance initiated by the European Commission.

How is the UK re-working lithium-ion battery production networks?

As demand for electrical energy storage scales, production networks for lithium-ion battery manufacturing are being re-worked organisationally and geographically. The UK - like the US and EU - is seeking to onshore lithium-ion battery production and build a national battery supply chain.

When will Infinity lithium start operations?

Infinity Lithium’s San Jose lithium project in Spain is making progress and could start operations around 2024-25 as it received in December a key exploration permit required to progress towards an exploitation concession. Lithium Australia’s Sadisdorf project in Germany is on hold.

Is a lithium offtake agreement a 'win-win' situation?

“There has basically been very little money flowing into the market to obtain offtake agreements, which is going to be a hurdle. It implies a risk on supply in about three or four years from now,” Jimenez said. Lithium contracts have often referenced a fixed price and benefit from simplicity, but “it’s not a win-win situation,” Jimenez said.

How is lithium-ion battery production re-worked?

Lithium-ion battery production is rapidly scaling up, as electromobility gathers pace in the context of decarbonising transportation. As battery output accelerates, the global production networks and supply chains associated with lithium-ion battery manufacturing are being re-worked organisationally and geographically (Bridge and Faigen 2022).

Are lithium-ion batteries a state accumulation project?

Although primarily an empirical paper, our approach has revealed the differentiated and plural character of lithium-ion batteries as a state accumulation project, in which the state has increasingly framed the trajectory of (automotive) transformation and acted as a risk-taker.