Will Europe's first and largest lithium plant be built in the UK?

Europe’s first and largest lithium plant will be built in the UK. - Copyright Green Lithium As well as providing batteries for the rising numbers of EVs, the plant expects to cut lithium’s current carbon footprint by 80 per cent. The UK is building Europe’s first and largest lithium refinery to produce the much-sought-after material.

Is the UK a 'Entrepreneurial State' for lithium-ion batteries?

These gaps reflect limits in the scope and scale of the UK government's efforts to act as an ‘entrepreneurial state’ with regard to lithium-ion batteries, particularly in the context of growing competition from Europe and the US in the wake of the US Inflation Reduction Act.

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.

Is the UK a 'global race' for lithium-ion batteries?

The UK too is seeking to onshore global production networks for lithium-ion batteries (LiB) and build a domestic battery supply chain. The UK case is instructive as the geopolitical dynamics of onshoring centre on maintaining the UK's role as an automobile manufacturing platform in the post-Brexit period rather than a general ‘global race’.

Why is the UK building a lithium refinery?

The UK is building Europe’s first and largest lithium refinery to produce the much-sought-after material. Demand for the ore metal has skyrocketed in recent years as the world doubles down on the transition to renewables. Lithium is a key component in the manufacturing of electric vehicle (EV) batteries.

Does lithium matter for lithium-ion battery production?

Lithium is not the only mineral element that matters for lithium-ion battery production, but it provides a specific lens for positioning the UK within evolving global lithium networks. Given the dynamic nature of developments in this space, our approach is illustrative rather than encyclopaedic.