The Carbon Copy: The lithium land grab in California

Catalyst · 10 Feb 2022 · 20m

What this episode covers

Stephen Lacy hosts a crossover episode of The Carbon Copy focusing on the potential for lithium extraction from the brine of California's Salton Sea. The episode explores the tension between the massive economic opportunity to create a domestic supply chain for EV batteries and the historical neglect of the Imperial Valley, where residents fear being left behind by new industry. Key figures include Luis Olmedo of Comite Civico del Valle and journalist Aaron Kantu, who discuss the need for community benefits agreements to ensure equitable distribution of profits and jobs.

Mentioned

Companies
EnergyHub, Bloom Energy, Antenna Group, Nextracker
Also
The Carbon Copy, Catalyst, Comite Civico del Valle, Lithium Valley Commission

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • EE Times Current · 34m

    Electric Car Superiority | The Supply Chain is All Mine | Cookies for Calculus

    Auto industry expert Egil Juliussen explains that battery electric vehicles (BEVs) will become cost-competitive with internal combustion engine vehicles within five years, driven by battery prices dropping to $100 per kilowatt-hour, expanded model availability from automakers like VW and GM, and lower operational costs. Supply chain specialist Lewis Black, chairman of El Monte, discusses a survey revealing US manufacturers' heavy reliance on China for strategic minerals like tungsten and tantalum, highlighting the critical need for diversification and the loss of extraction knowledge in the West. The episode also covers emerging battery technologies such as supercapacitors and wireless charging, while noting the political and logistical challenges of reshoring mineral supply chains.

  • Tough Tech Vets · 47m

    From the Battlefield to the Supply Chain: A Marine’s Mission to Secure Critical Minerals with Ian Killough, President of Ridgeline Elements

    Ian Killough, President of Ridgeline Elements, explains how he transitioned from civil engineering to founding a company that secures critical minerals by processing cobalt from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He details the company's pivot to using electrochemical leaching technology developed with the Idaho National Laboratory to create a feed-agnostic, ethical supply chain that avoids the corruption and opacity of traditional Chinese-dominated markets. Killough discusses the challenges of feasibility studies, securing government support, and building an equitable local workforce in the DRC while establishing operations in Arkansas.

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by Catalyst. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.