Prices of lithium and the battery supply chain for energy storage systems are becoming manageable once again, but lead times for transformers and other equipment have greatly extended.

The lithium industry needs US$116 billion of investment to achieve the 5.7x ramp-up in production needed for 2030 decarbonisation goals, and prices may remain ‘tight’ in the coming years.

Lithium carbonate prices have started to creep back up again after coming down from 2022’s extreme highs, but the long-term outlook is one of downwards prices, research firm Fastmarkets said.

Lithium-ion battery pack prices have gone up 7% in 2022, marking the first price rise since BloombergNEF began its surveys in 2010.

The construction of battery cell factories catering specifically for stationary energy storage means competition for supply with the EV sector will cool off in the next couple of years.

Many of the battery gigafactory projects in Europe are likely to see delays, Energy-Storage.news has heard.

Natural resources giant Glencore has agreed to back the Canadian battery recycler to the tune of US$200 million.