In the heart of the UK, a symphony of innovation and ambition reverberates as Britishvolt, once poised to be the nation’s Tesla, navigates an unforeseen destiny. The dream of a lithium-ion battery-fueled industrial surge in the northeast fades, only to be reignited by luminaries like Professor Pam Thomas, championing Britain’s sovereign capabilities in breakthrough battery technologies. As the nation seeks resilience in the face of geopolitical shifts, a new chapter unfolds, led by Jaguar Land Rover’s audacious £4 billion “gigafactory” plans and the rising star of Tees Valley Lithium, Europe’s largest lithium refinery.
While Britishvolt’s trajectory took an unexpected turn, innovation persists, driven by the visionary Chief Executive of the Faraday Institution, Professor Pam Thomas. Emphasizing the need for “sovereign capabilities,” she rallies the UK to establish formidable domestic supply chains, shielding the nation from external dependencies, particularly in the net-zero transition. As the world tilts toward renewable energy, the allure of sodium batteries as a grid storage solution gains prominence, spelling a dynamic shift in the country’s energy narrative.
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.