The dominance of China within the EV battery provide chain has raised issues concerning the geopolitical dangers related to the reliance on one nation for important minerals and battery know-how. As Chinese language corporations management over 70% of lithium-ion battery manufacturing and practically all phases of the EV battery provide chain, this reliance on China places the USA at an obstacle in selling clear power and decreasing carbon emissions. It’s one thing that liberal democracies must do, but when not performed fastidiously, it might probably put us able the place intolerant authoritarian states can name the photographs.
To scale back this dependency, the USA must concentrate on increasing its home manufacturing capability for EV batteries. This won’t solely create jobs but additionally result in the event of a safe and sustainable provide chain. By rising onshore manufacturing of EV batteries, the USA can even lower the geopolitical dangers related to the reliance on China for minerals resembling lithium, cobalt, nickel, and manganese, affecting many industries exterior of batteries and cleantech.
And this isn’t simply an educational concern. Up to now, China has used its management over these minerals to realize leverage in geopolitical disputes. As an illustration, China withheld shipments of uncommon earth minerals to Japan throughout a dispute over islands within the East China Sea. Equally, in 2021, China halted exports of uncommon earth minerals to the USA, sparking issues for the US financial and navy safety.
Due to this fact, onshore manufacturing of EV batteries won’t solely lower reliance on China and mitigate geopolitical dangers but additionally result in the event of a cleaner, greener, and extra sustainable future for the USA.
However, getting there isn’t simple, and it’s not one thing the USA and allies can do on their very own. It’s going to take a cooperative method to know-how and assets, with some nations having extra of 1 than the opposite.
The President of KIAT (Korean Institute for Development of Know-how), Vice Chairman of KBIA (Korean Battery Trade Affiliation), President of KETI (Korean Electronics Know-how Institute), and Government Director of NAATBatt have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This MoU goals to facilitate the onshoring of Korean battery producers in the USA.
The signing came about on the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, DC, along with the intergovernmental assembly between US President Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk Ye. QAD, a member of the NAATBatt Affiliation, performed a pivotal position within the MoU. QAD’s Head of EV and Mobility, Andreas Bareid, serves as a Co-Chairman of the NAATBatt Onshoring Committee and Board Member.
“Korean corporations at this time are world main specialists inside manufacturing of lithium based mostly batteries,” stated James Greenberger, founder and govt director of NAATBatt. “If we need to construct a vibrant North American provide chain for lithium based mostly batteries as shortly as attainable, we have to use the very best accessible manufacturing know-how to realize this. In the present day, this know-how is basically with Korean corporations. Therefore we should always combine these Korean specialists and firms to be a part of that provide chain and the North American enterprise group.”
The onshoring of Korean battery producers within the US will assist the nation cut back its dependence on overseas sources of EV batteries and the dangers that include it. This partnership may also promote job creation, financial development, and sustainable and safe provide chains. The MoU displays the willingness of each governments to work carefully collectively to strengthen the USA’s home manufacturing capabilities within the inexperienced power sector.
The NAATBatt (Nationwide Alliance for Superior Know-how Batteries) Onshoring Committee is without doubt one of the affiliation’s fastest-growing committees. Its major focus is on connecting overseas battery trade associations with NAATBatt members and supporting their members in establishing enterprise relationships with the group. The committee’s primary goal is to offer entry to NAATBatt’s precious assets, thus making certain integration and sharing of information.
“We’re excited to construct the bridge between the educated Korean battery corporations and the US, for all elements of the battery provide chain,” stated Bareid. “Working collectively, via joint ventures, partnerships and enterprise relations between our members, is the one manner we are able to obtain speedy velocity to profit. To additional make sure the adoption of EV, it’s crucial for onshoring corporations to ascertain manufacturing and produce the yield envisaged and required by the Inflation Discount Act. QAD helps the incoming onshoring corporations with speedy velocity to institution and scale to handle their provide chain.”
In preparation for the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate the onshoring of Korean battery producers in the USA, QAD sponsored a dinner on the Conrad Washington DC Resort. The dinner was hosted by NAATBatt, and attendees included members of each Korean and US Battery Associations, authorities officers, and representatives from a number of key US OEMs, battery makers, and suppliers.
Among the many attendees have been representatives from GM, Airgas, Amphenol, P3, Polaris, and Clarios. This occasion offered a chance for these concerned to community, alternate concepts, and set up relationships that may promote job creation, financial development, and safe and sustainable provide chains within the inexperienced power sector.
QAD’s involvement in sponsoring the dinner underscores its dedication to advancing the event of the EV battery trade within the US. As one of many members of the NAATBatt Affiliation, QAD has performed a pivotal position in selling onshoring efforts and establishing relationships between US corporations and their Asian counterparts.
Total, the dinner hosted by NAATBatt, and sponsored by QAD, was a vital step in the direction of establishing a sturdy and environmentally sustainable EV battery trade in the USA.
Whereas Korean corporations are likely to have the know-how, the USA has plenty of uncooked supplies that may very well be introduced into the image, together with these of allies in Canada, Australia, and Europe. This places Korea in a very good place to play a pivotal position in serving to an alliance of liberal democracies keep their place within the world automotive, clear know-how, and clear power markets. By conserving allies working collectively, QAD and its companions usually are not solely serving to enhance entry to battery know-how, but additionally serving to hold freedom alive.
Featured picture: QAD’s Andreas Bareid, NAATBatt’s James Greenberger and others on the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the US and South Korea. Picture offered by QAD.
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