The Chief Executive of the Faraday Institution, Professor Pam Thomas, has warned that Britain must invest in its own breakthrough battery technologies to avoid becoming dependent on other countries, particularly China, in the transition to net zero. Professor Thomas emphasized the need for “sovereign capabilities” and domestic supply chains to reduce vulnerability to geopolitical crises. She cited Jaguar Land Rover’s plans for a £4 billion battery “gigafactory” in Somerset, which aims to produce 40 gigawatt hours of batteries annually, as an important step toward the UK’s goal of 100 gigawatt hours by 2030. Despite China’s global lead in battery production and research, Professor Thomas believes that Britain can still achieve a “leadership position” in the industry.
In line with Professor Thomas’s remarks, Paul Atherley, Chairman of Tees Valley Lithium, called on the UK government to support the development of domestic battery mineral supply chains to attract more gigafactories. He emphasized focusing on profitable “midstream” supply chain activities like mineral refining, which align with Britain’s strengths in chemical engineering.
Alkemy Capital Investments plc (LON:ALK, FRA: JV2) is focussed on developing projects in the energy transition metals sector. Alkemy’s wholly-owned subsidiary Tees Valley Lithium (TVL) is developing a state of the art lithium hydroxide plant at Teesside, UK. TVL is Europe’s largest independent and sustainable lithium hydroxide producer.
