In order to meet the targets it has committed itself to under the Paris Agreement, the EU aims to produce 10 million electric vehicles for the EU market by 2030. This push for the electrification of transport does not only serve Europe’s climate goals, but also the drive toward technological innovation and open strategic autonomy. It reduces the EU’s dependence on imports of technology and products, primarily from China. In order to achieve this goal however, it must drastically ramp up its efforts to secure the critical raw materials (CRM) required for lithium-ion batteries.
This brings a host of geo-economic and geopolitical challenges. As of now, large parts of the lithium-ion battery (LiB) supply chain are dominated by China and battery mineral prices are experiencing a great deal of volatility, with ripple effects throughout the supply chain. This signals the need for Europe to make its supply chain more resilient and secure, in view of its growing battery industry.
The HCSS Energy and Raw Materials Initiative addresses the ways in which this changing geopolitical landscape affects the global energy transition. Our work is continuously expanding as decarbonization is an increasingly pressing issue for public and private actors alike. In a series of papers, we look at the risks and opportunities for Europe’s battery minerals supply security.
Read the HCSS Battery Minerals paper series here:
- GRAPHITE | Graphite: Supply chain challenges & recommendations for a critical mineral
- COBALT | Cobalt mining in the EU: Securing supplies and ensuring energy justice
- LITHIUM | Increasing Lithium Supply Security for Europe’s Growing Battery Industry: Recommendations for a Resilient Supply Chain
- Batteries require battery minerals, should Europe ramp up its efforts to secure them?
- The Inflation Reduction Act Explained | What it means for electric vehicles (EVs) and battery materials
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