Lithium energy storage in america

Does the US rely on a global lithium battery supply chain?

By comparison, China-based companies capture 90% of the economic value of each lithium battery cell consumed in China. The United States relies (and, without intervention, will continue to rely) on a global lithium battery supply chain that is highly vulnerable to disruption, as seen in Figure 1. Two issues account for this vulnerability.

Why is demand for lithium batteries growing?

Demand for lithium batteries is set to grow rapidly, driven primarily by the increased adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage systems (ESSs) on the electrical grid.

How much value will lithium batteries bring to the US?

Li-Bridge believes that by 2030 the United States can capture 60% of the economic value consumed by U.S. domestic demand for lithium batteries ($33 billion value‐added; 100,000 direct jobs5), up from the 30% domestic value-added most likely to result from doing business as usual.

Should lithium-based batteries be a domestic supply chain?

Establishing a domestic supply chain for lithium-based batteries requires a national commitment to both solving breakthrough scientific challenges for new materials and developing a manufacturing base that meets the demands of the growing electric vehicle (EV) and electrical grid storage markets.

How big is the lithium battery market?

The market for lithium battery cells in the U.S. is growing rapidly and expected to reach $55 billion per year by 2030.1 Yet it is estimated that under current conditions U.S. companies and U.S. workers will capture less than 30% of the value of cells consumed domestically.

What is the future of lithium batteries?

The elimination of critical minerals (such as cobalt and nickel) from lithium batteries, and new processes that decrease the cost of battery materials such as cathodes, anodes, and electrolytes, are key enablers of future growth in the materials-processing industry.