08/04/2024
Preliminary market and logistics analysis of the LiCORNE
Author: ADMIRIS [ADM]
ADMIRIS [ADM], partner in WP9 [Communication, Dissemination and Exploitation] and responsible for designing and proposing a sound business model for the LiCORNE project, successfully delivered the preliminary market and logistics analysis. This initial study marks an essential milestone in the journey towards understanding the optimal LiCORNE value chain and is the first step in a series of three reports designed to reach the project’s final business analysis.
The scope of this preliminary analysis was extensive, focusing on understanding the dynamics of the market through supply-demand analysis, pricing evaluations, and logistics assessments. Delving into these key areas allowed researchers to gain valuable insights that would facilitate the selection of the most suitable locations for the LiCORNE plant facilities. The study examined the external dynamics of lithium products, thus identifying market trends, challenges, and opportunities. This comprehensive picture of the market landscape will allow partners to pinpoint optimal plant locations that align with the project’s strategic objectives.
Main take-aways from this preliminary study:
- The electric vehicle (EV) market remains the main driving force, estimated to continue increasing demand for lithium even in the upcoming years. Corroborating it with the projected supply-demand up to 2030, the ratio seems to be unbalanced, showcasing the need for new lithium value chains as well as the urge to develop innovative and environmentally and economically sustainable technologies.
- Limited established value chains providing lithium, as well as environmental and societal concerns that slow down the permitting processes are some of the primary restraining factors in Europe.
- The pricing analysis predicts the more recent decline in lithium prices will continue until 2025. Despite this price fall, investments in lithium mining are still considered promising, mainly due to the anticipated surging demand driven by the transition to electric mobility.
The results of this preliminary analysis are promising, showcasing several potential plant locations that offer favourable conditions for the LiCORNE technologies within Europe. These findings pave the way for further exploration and refinement as we progress towards our ultimate goal of establishing a robust and efficient Li value chain.
In advancing the development of LiCORNE’s business case, the consortium partners remain committed to leveraging these insights to drive the success of this project that has the potential to revolutionise the lithium industry and deliver innovative solutions to meet the growing demands of the market.
© Photo: Minakryn Ruslan (under Adobe License)