The Li-Bridge Industry Report identifies the top three challenges for building a robust U.S. lithium battery supply chain:
Insufficient return on investment on long-term projects
▪︎ While many battery-related projects can be cash flow positive, they often have difficulty providing the 15% or greater return on capital employed
Lengthy and uncertain timelines to secure permits and project approval, especially upstream
▪︎ This is exacerbated by bureaucratic processes and NIMBYISM (‘not in my backyard’)
Lack of access to critical minerals and raw and processed energy materials
▪︎ U.S. lithium battery manufacturers and users are at a severe disadvantage in obtaining access to critical minerals and energy materials relative to government-backed countries
