Date: August 14, 2023. — The Indian state of Telangana has set its sights on sourcing lithium salts and other minerals from Latin America. The Telangana State Mineral Development Corporation’s (TSMDC) decision aligns with the global push towards cleaner and more sustainable transportation solutions.
Lithium, a crucial component in batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage. In light of this, Telangana’s move to enter the Latin American lithium market highlights their commitment to strengthen electric vehicle and energy storage system (ESS) infrastructure.
At Evolve, a conference on advanced battery technologies, IT and Industries Minister K T Rama Rao said, “The Government of Telangana has been trying to secure the supply of lithium salts to develop a sustainable Electric Vehicle and ESS ecosystem. I doubt that any other State has ever envisioned or dreamed of taking this step.
According to the Minister, India’s future lies in shared and sustainable transportation. Leading the way in developing India’s innovative growth story was Telangana. He claimed that the State’s network of innovation-related institutions, which includes T-Works, T-Hub, We-Hub, TASK, TSIC, and others, was driving the innovation ecosystem there.
Latin America has substantial lithium reserves, where Chile, Argentina and Bolivia primarily have these reserves. Direct lithium supply from Latin America, might yield savings in battery production. Hence making Electric Vehicles and ESS more affordable for consumers. Additionally, this move aligns with Telangana’s broader vision of becoming a hub for Electric Vehicle manufacturing, research, and innovation.
Amara Raja Batteries’ E Positive Energy Labs will feature advanced facilities for material research, development, and product lifecycle analysis. The center is an important step in Amara Raja’s plan to create a “Giga Corridor.” This corridor will include both the research facility mentioned earlier and a Gigafactory at Divitipalli. The Gigafactory will be dedicated to producing Li-ion cells and battery packs, involving an investment of INR 9,500 crore. Looking ahead to the future, out of the anticipated 150 GWh capacity to be established in India by 2030, Telangana has set its sights on hosting 30 GWh lithium giga plants.
The state government has already initiated discussions with relevant stakeholders in Latin American countries to explore potential avenues for collaboration. These talks encompass topics such as sustainable mining practices, responsible resource extraction, and technology transfer.
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