The German chemical company Livista Energy plans to build a lithium refinery in Emden, northern Germany. The Luxembourg-based company concluded a corresponding letter of intent with state port operator and landowner Niedersachsen Ports in the seaport city on Wednesday evening, Livista announced.
“Our first plant will supply enough battery-grade lithium to produce 850,000 electric vehicles per year,” said Daniel Bloor, Managing Director of Livista Energy Europe, in the statement. Lower Saxony’s Minister of Economic Affairs, Olaf Lies, indicated that the state wanted to support the project. The approval of the NPorts Supervisory Board is still pending.
Lithium is a light metal that is used, for example, for batteries in electric cars. However, it is also used in batteries for smartphones or tablets, for example. Because more and more electric cars are being produced, the demand for the raw material is increasing. Lithium refineries have so far mainly been located in Asia.
energy and infrastructure
According to Livista, the availability of renewable energy sources and the third largest German North Sea port, where the refinery will be built nearby, speak in favor of Emden as a location. The refinery is expected to go online in 2026 and produce up to 40,000 tons of lithium products annually. The company has not disclosed the planned size of the investment. According to information from the “Emder Zeitung”, more than half a billion euros will be invested. About 200 jobs could be created, according to the report.
Olaf Lies says that Lower Saxony wants to supervise the realization of the project “very closely”. The possible settlement offers a great opportunity for cooperation between the Lower Saxony, German and European industries, for example for lithium-ion batteries.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
