The European battery industry is at a critical turning point. Amid declining investments and a reorganization of cell production, Europe’s ambition to build a robust and independent battery supply chain is being hampered by delayed upstream development and integration bottlenecks.
While there is no global shortage of lithium resources, available deposits in Europe are limited. Long project lead times, complex permitting processes, and slow downstream absorption are further delaying the timely development of local supply chains. To secure domestic supply, meet ESG standards, and strengthen the competitiveness of the entire battery ecosystem, Europe has been actively promoting local lithium production in recent years.
The following whitepaper highlights the strategic importance of locally sourced lithium in Europe. It provides an overview of the continent’s current production landscape, outlines key project developments, and analyzes the broader structural challenges — in particular, the critical gap in downstream cathode active material (CAM) manufacturers — that are hindering the seamless integration of lithium into the European battery value chain.
The full whitepaper is available for download here.
