Will the U.S. ever compete on lithium? – This Week in Cleantech

Will the U.S. ever compete on lithium? – This Week in Cleantech

This Week in Cleantech is a new, weekly podcast covering the most impactful stories in cleantech and climate in 15 minutes or less.

This week’s episode features Amanda Chu from the Financial Times, who wrote about how Albemarle, the largest lithium producer in the world, said it is not economically viable to build a lithium supply chain in North America or Europe. 

This week’s “Cleantecher of the Week” is Mary Powell, CEO of Sunrun. Mary just was named to the 2024 TIME100 Climate List of Most Influential Leaders In Climate. TIME recognized Mary for her climate leadership, advancing residential clean energy adoption to strengthen the nation’s energy grid. Congratulations, Mary!

1. The hidden emissions impact of grid congestion is bigger than you think — Latitude Media

A new report released last month provides new data on the cost and carbon pollution impact of grid congestion. Wind and solar projects are often located far from major cities, where the electricity demand is highest. However, the power grid is often too constrained to efficiently transport electricity from these renewable projects in remote locations to urban areas. As a result, fossil-fuel power plants are dispatched along transmission routes that aren’t as congested.

For renewables to effectively reduce pollution, we don’t just need clean energy, we need the transmission capacity to get that energy where it’s needed when it’s needed. Some carbon accounting frameworks fail to reflect the real-world impact of congestion, leading to overestimation of pollution reductions.

2. Trump picks fracking CEO Chris Wright to be energy secretary — The Washington Post

Wright has been nominated to lead the Energy Department, and North Dakota Governor Doug Burnum has been nominated to head the Interior Department. 

Wright gave out more than $273,000 to pro-Trump super PACs and the Republican National Committee. A large part of Wright’s role would be to decide how or if we should allocate clean energy subsidies, which he strongly opposes. Wright would also have a say in lifting the LNG pause, and how we handle the nation’s power crunch, as data centers and EVs strain the grid. 

On the other hand, Burgum did call for North Dakota to be carbon-neutral by 2030, but through nascent tech such as carbon capture, which is prohibitively expensive and relies heavily on subsidies. 

3. This seaside town will power thousands of homes with waves — The Washington Post

The Department of Energy put $100 million toward a wave energy converter in Newport, Oregon that taps the power of waves, and turns it into electricity. These buoyant wave energy converters are located seven miles offshore and can deliver 20 MW of energy – equivalent to thousands of homes and businesses.

Watch the full episode on YouTube

4. A Court Just Broke America’s Most Divisive Environmental Law. Here’s What Happens Next. — Heatmap News

When the government wants to build infrastructure, it must go through The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). But NEPA only mandates for the government to study the potential consequences of the project, not make the most environmentally friendly decision. 

The Council on Environmental Quality, or CEQ, issues guidelines for federal agencies to follow the law. U.S. Presidents have acted under the impression that these guidelines are binding. 

However, a three-judge panel on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the CEQ does not have the authority to issue binding guidelines. Instead, the guidelines should have the same legal authority as executive orders. 

5. Lithium producer says west cannot end reliance on China in critical minerals — The Financial Times

Albemarle, the world’s largest lithium producer, with the only lithium mine in the US, said that the returns are not there for them to build out a supply chain in North America and Europe, that could break China’s dominance over critical minerals. The company reported a $1.1 billion quarterly loss, reduced its workforce, and paused major projects, including a $1.3 billion South Carolina refinery. Other companies, like Piedmont Lithium and International Battery Metals, have also scaled back expansion plans.

Challenges like long permitting timelines, policy uncertainty, and insufficient financial incentives under the Inflation Reduction Act have hindered U.S. mining expansion.

Lithium prices have plummeted over 80% since last year due to slowing EV demand and oversupply. 

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