A highly experienced group of stakeholders from investors to business builders discuss creating a lithium-ion battery supply chain in the UK.
The materials challenge and both short and longer term metals supply tightness is identified as the primary risk in decarbonising UK’s transport sector and beyond.
We hear about the current plans and investment made to date to scaling domestic Gigafactory capacity; how the UK can succeed at the second link of the value chain by building domestic refining capacity; and innovations in materials recovery aimed at closing the loop.
Chiefly the panel agreed that both institutional money and government sources need to accelerate efforts to share greater risks, promote more investment and continue to drive innovation if the UK is to even come close to it’s mandated targets.
Panellists:
Brian Menell, CEO, TechMet
Richard Taylor, Founding Partner, Green Lithium
Julian Hetherington, Director, Automotive Transformation, Advanced Propulsion Centre UK
Kate Ronayne, Investment Director, Longwall Venture Partners
Jacqui Murray, Deputy Director, Faraday Battery Challenge, UK Research & Innovation (Innovate UK)