Friday 30 September 2016

Record Investments In Lithium Battery Companies Are Driving Energy Storage Industry In China.

  


  We are talking a lot here about the Energy Storage as the next largest application of lithium technology after electric cars which makes Solar And Wind integration into the Smart Grids of the future possible.  In the future, this market will even overtake the EVs consuming more lithium batteries. 
  According to McKinsey, we have a totally new economics in place provided by the cheaper lithium batteries available for the Home Storage and Utility Storage Systems. Now we have the report from the ground in China by CNESAThe China Energy Storage Alliance - showing exactly what is happening in the country which is increasing its Energy Storage 10-fold in the next few years. 
  Energy Storage projects are growing in scale in China, new energy policies emphasise the strategy approved on the state level within 13th Five Year Plan. Power systems are granted more marketing opportunities for Energy Storage implementations. Chinese lithium battery makers are targeting foreign energy storage markets. BYD has just announced its systems available in the UK for the Home Storage. 
  And the most important is that the real money is flowing into Lithium Batteries R&D and  production facilities. New specialised Energy Storage companies are entering the market and we will have to learn new names here after studying how Warren Buffett's  BYD is leading the Lithium Race in China. 



New Energy Plan: China Installs One Large Wind Turbine And One Football Pitch Of Solar Panels Every Hour. 


  


  
  "We all know that The Switch is happening, but we do not really appreciate how fast it is going now. ReNewEconomy provides us with the very impressive facts about the Renewable Energy boom in China. It is all a part of The New Energy Plan and I will provide some links to the fascinating progress China is making with Electric Cars. It is also a  part of this strategic initiative to built the new manufacturing base of the 21st century and leapfrog the ICE-age technology straight into the post carbon world. Lithium Technology allows us to store electricity and use it when we want it now. Cheap batteries change everything and make it all possible. Lithium is the magic metal at the very heart of this Energy rEVolution. Read more."




International Lithium At Wentworth 2016 Presentation.







Lithium 2.0: "New Lithium Top 5" Consolidation And Security Of Supply: FT "China's Tianqi Moves On Chile's SQM."

  


  "FT reports that further round of competition for the security of lithium supply is driving the new wave of consolidation among our "New Lithium Top 5". With all political troubles in Chile Argentina is rising to the top lithium destination in the world now. Chinese Tianqi and Ganfeng were competing for the stake in SQM. Now we can see that Tianqi will pay 51% premium to get 2.6% for more than $200 million dollars in SQM. This move opens the doors to acquire more than 20% stake in SQM. I will be following on more details of this deal. Read more."

"Now you can better understand why the security for lithium supply becomes crucial for the industry leaders. Ganfeng Lithium and Tianqi have made it to the "New Lithium Top 5" this year and even pushed FMC down in the 5th place, according to Joe Lowry. Tianqi controls with Albemarle Talison  Lithium - a source of lithium raw material from hard rock mining in Australia. Now with Tianqi front running for the 23% stake at SQM - a source of lithium raw material from brine in Chile, we will have a new round of competition for the security of lithium supply. Reflecting on its political problems in Chile SQM moves to Argentina in J/V with Lithium Americas and Albemarle has just announced plans for the lithium exploration in Argentina. 
  International Lithium is building the vertically integrated lithium business with $4.5 Billion market cap giant from China Ganfeng Lithium, which is financing J/V operations in Argentina and Ireland. Below you can find more links on the Lithium Battery and raw materials space to make your own conclusions."


Security Of Lithium Supply: Battery Maker Helping Power China Electric Car Boom Plans IPO.

 


  "While we are all (apart from short sellers) enjoying the news coming out from Tesla about its Gigafactory progress the real Lithium Race and cut-throat competition are happening in China. Warren Buffett's BYD is going after Panasonic with its aggressive plans for lithium battery Megafactories all over the world and now Bloomberg reports that CATL is going after BYD. 
  This competition will bring the prices for lithium batteries down to the Holy Grail for electric cars of $100 per KWh. Then battery for Tesla Model 3 or GM Bolt will be costing just $6k and we can start seriously talking about all cars becoming electric. We will have now the entry into the mass market for EVs with the first two electric cars with over 200 miles range and priced under 40k: GM Bolt and Tesla Model 3. Next step we can talk about my magic formula for all cars to become electric 20/200: when $20k buys you BMW 2 series type electric car with 200 miles range.
  Even without this coming lower prices for the electric cars based on mass volume production of lithium batteries we are pushing 1,000,000 sales of EVs this year alone already! Bloomberg provides the new insight into Lithium Battery market and I will have to update a lot of numbers in my Lithium 2.0 Launch, starting with Tesla which now will produce at Gigafactory 1 50 GWh of lithium batteries already in 2018 and 150 GWh by 2022!
  Now you can better understand why the security for lithium supply becomes crucial for the industry leaders. Ganfeng Lithium and Tianqi have made it to the "New Lithium Top 5" this year and even pushed FMC down in the 5th place, according to Joe Lowry. Tianqi controls with Albemarle Talison  Lithium - a source of lithium raw material from hard rock mining in Australia. Now with Tianqi front running for the 23% stake at SQM - a source of lithium raw material from brine in Chile, we will have a new round of competition for the security of lithium supply. Reflecting on its political problems in Chile SQM moves to Argentina in J/V with Lithium Americas and Albemarle has just announced plans for the lithium exploration in Argentina. 
  International Lithium is building the vertically integrated lithium business with $4.5 Billion market cap giant from China Ganfeng Lithium, which is financing J/V operations in Argentina and Ireland. Below you can find more links on the Lithium Battery and raw materials space to make your own conclusions. Read more."










CNESA:

Nine Updates on China’s 2016 Energy Storage Industry


In the first half of this year we observed some positive signs: China’s increasing electricity system reforms, the rise of the “energy internet,” and growing activity in frequency regulation and peak-load shifting in China’s North. We also saw some less positive developments such as increases in wind and solar curtailments. Good and bad alike, all of these developments underline the importance of energy storage in a wide array of fields, from renewable energy, distributed generation and microgrids, as well as in setting electricity prices.  From the beginning of 2016 to present, China’s energy storage industry took steps forward in project planning, policy support, and increasing product capacity.
Here are nine highlights:

1) LARGE-SCALE STORAGE PROJECTS INCREASED

According to CNESA’s project database, storage project installations continued to increase. In the first half of 2016, newly operating projects totaled 28.5 MW, principally focused on renewable energy grid integration in Northwestern China. The nine newly operating projects include Golmud (Tibet) City Solar Storage Station and Kelu Electronics Solar Storage in Yumen, Gansu province.
In addition to the projects in operation, in the first half of 2016, China also announced storage project construction plans adding up to over 400 MW in scale (CNESA project database). System integrator companies Samsung, Dalian Rongke, Narada Battery, were the main enterprises involved. Technologies involved include Li-ion, flow, and lead storage batteries. Principal applications were peak-load shifting and frequency regulation, large scale renewable energy grid integration, and commercial microgrids. CNESA forecasts that these projects will gain momentum in the upcoming years.

2) NEW ENERGY POLICIES EMPHASIZED ENERGY STORAGE

As China enters its 13th Five Year Planning Period in the midst of the energy revolution, the State Council, National Development and Resource Council (NDRC), and National Energy Administration (NEA) have all geared policy efforts towards adjusting China’s energy systems, innovation of new technology, manufacturing equipment, constructing smart grids, and developing renewable energy. CNESA predicts future policies will be focus on the energy internet, ancillary services, and microgrids, all increasing applications for energy storage technology.
Energy storage was mentioned in numerous policy documents including, “Innovation in the Energy Storage Technology Revolution: New Action Plan (2016-2030),” “Outline for the Strategy of Driving National Innovation,” and “Made in China 2025—Plan for Installation of Power Equipment.” Such policy documents clearly outlined roadmaps for development and innovation in the energy storage, project demonstrations, and how to tackle key problems in the industry.
The importance and application value of energy storage technology also appeared in the policy document “Guiding Opinions on Implementing the ‘Internet+’ Smart Energy Development.” Energy storage is related to internet, electricity storage, heat storage, hydrogen cells, and gas storage. Through different forms of storage, electric power, heat, traffic, and oil and gas applications all interconnect.

3) POWER SYSTEM REFORMS GRANTED MORE MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENERGY STORAGE

New rounds of electricity system reforms aim at transmission & distribution price reforms, the creation of an electricity market, sell-side reforms, and launching demand response. Increasing the degree of electricity marketization will allow the latent market potential of energy storage to open up, expanding storage business models, and bring about a turning point in the industry. As electricity retailers throughout China are established, the reforms will go into effect, introducing a flexible and diverse pricing system, thus creating spaces for the use of user-sited energy storage.
Distributed storage set-ups for industrial users were also a hot topic, as individual investment costs are relatively low. At present, companies like BYD, Zhonhen, and GSL System Integration Technology Co. have already began targeting industrial parks for planning large scale distributed energy storage systems. Optimizing differences in peak and off-peak electricity prices is the primary goal, along with balancing PV use levels, participating in demand response, delaying upgrades to electricity system infrastructure, and providing in ancillary services for profit.  Storage use in larger industrial areas to cut from peak consumption and increase off-peak electricity consumption can result in investment returns of five years.

4) ENERGY STORAGE CAN PLAY A CHIEF ROLE IN PROVIDING ANCILLARY SERVICES IN NORTHERN CHINA

In June of 2016, the NEA formally issued a policy in favor of electricity systems peak-load shifting and frequency regulation titled, “Notification on Promoting Energy Storage in China’s Northern Regions Ancillary Services Compensating (Market) Mechanisms Trial Project.” This is the final release of the document after the NEA solicited opinions in May earlier this year.
The first part of this document discusses how to formulate substantive policies supporting the energy storage industry, how to employ energy storage in ancillary services cost sharing mechanisms, and how to demonstrate electricity storage technology’s superiority in peak-load shifting and frequency modulation. First of all, the document states that policy must first clearly give stand-alone energy storage an important position in electricity markets. Energy storage also needs a recognized identity in relation to in ancillary services, generator storage, retailers, and electricity users. Next, policy must encourage energy storage diversification construction of concentrated energy storage facilities in smaller districts, buildings, industries, and user-sited distributed storage facilities. Storage’s use in peak balancing, and fast response, will encourage the recognition of its value. Additionally, the document states policy must promote power plant and user-sited storage facilities participating in peak-load shifting ancillary services together with grid companies.

5) RAPID INVESTMENTS IN BATTERY COMPANIES ARE DRIVING ENERGY STORAGE

The rising popularity of electric cars is driving domestic demand for batteries to the point where supply doesn't meet demand. In the first half of 2016, companies like BYD, Lishen, and China Aviation Lithium Battery Co., Hefei Guoxuan High-Tech Power Energy Co., and Optimum Nano, drove the domestic battery industry forward introducing several rounds of investment plans. Lead battery manufacturers such as Menshine, Shuangdeng, and Narada Power represent enterprises also vigorously investing in Li-ion battery systems.
According to CNESA’s statistics, in the first half of 2016, domestic enterprises already announced an increase of 120 GWh in newly added production capacity for power Li-ion batteries. If operations begin smoothly, by 2018, the domestic market can potentially be faced with the pressures of a supply exceeds demand scenario. In addition to current applications in electric cars, electric bikes, and the electric tools markets, battery storage will become a key industry for battery manufacturers and focus point in future markets.

6) NEW, SPECIALIZED ENERGY STORAGE COMPANIES ENTERED THE MARKET

From 2015 to the first half of 2016, many new companies specializing in energy storage entered the market, with a combined planned storage capacity exceeding 100 MWh. These new businesses largely aim at developing user storage products, providing energy storage systems solutions services. The newly founded companies comprise two main types:
A)     Battery manufacturer and PCS companies launching partnerships with system integrators. Examples include:
a.       Sungrow Power and Samsung SDI: The joint venture has already accrued more than $170 million USD in investments In July of 2016 the two officially launched energy storage equipment production. They expect an annual production capability of 2000 MWh in storage equipment.
b.      Shenzhen Clou Electronics and LG Chem: The two have set up a new joint venture enterprise, Shenzhen Kele New Energy Technologies Ltd., at a registered cost $3.5 million USD. The planned yearly production capacity is set for over 400 MWh, with assembly lines set to begin operations starting in early 2017
c.       EVE Lithium Batteries and Neovoltaic: EVE recently purchased a 12.5% share in Neovoltaic. Neovoltaic mostly focuses on PV storage, energy management services, and internet in the Australian and German markets. This move will help EVE expand its storage user base.
B)      Traditional PV enterprises along with PV system integrators opening up storage-focused companies. Examples include:
a.       Suzhou GCL Integrated Storage Technology Co.: This company, set up by GCL System Integration Technology, was founded with expected annual production of 500 MWh in battery capacity. At present, they have already developed and are taking orders for their first storage product, the E-KwBe NC-S Series. In the future the company will move toward distributed PV, industrial storage, and grid storage.
b.      Trina Energy Storage: Trina Solar established Trina Storage Co. as a system integrator company to provide storage solutions for industrial users as well as public utility grid storage, residential storage, off-grid storage, communications systems, and vehicles.

7) CHINESE COMPANIES TARGET FOREIGN RESIDENTIAL STORAGE MARKETS

In recent years, the distributed residential storage market has developed in countries like Germany, Australia, the U.S., and Japan. Local governments overseas have drawn up storage installation subsidies, tax credits, and other demand response incentive mechanisms in order to expand the storage user base and bring about viable business models.
While companies like Tesla, Sonnenbatterie, and LG Chem, release residential storage products all over the word, Chinese storage technology companies are targeting the Australian and German residential storage markets. Since 2016, Shenzhen Clou Electronics, Neovoltaics, China Aviation Lithium Battery Co., GCL Integrated Storage, Pylontech, and Trina Storage, have all released products for residential PV + storage users with capacities ranging from 2.5 kWh to 7 kWh, mainly employing Li-ion battery technology complete with smart energy management systems solutions. Chinese storage enterprises, with technology and production capacity in Li-ion and lead-acid batteries, are looking to establish business partnerships with PV installers and storage system integrators in the Australian, German, and American residential storage markets.

8) CHINESE REGIONAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE TAKEN MEASURES TO SUPPORT THE GROWING DOMESTIC STORAGE INDUSTRY

As the storage market grows, local and regional governments have grasped the importance of the emerging energy storage industry. In 2016 the governments of Dalian City, Qinghai Province, and Bijie City have all initiated planning efforts for the storage industry, preparing for industrialization and constructing demonstration centers.
Dalian City (Liaoning Province)
In March of 2016, the Dalian City local government issued a policy document “Dalian City People’s Government Opinions on Advancing the Energy Storage Industry,” declaring the city a research and manufacturing center of vanadium-flow and Li-ion batteries. The policy outlines a supply chain involving local materials preparation and system integration, estimating that both the storage and related industries worth at nearly 50 billion CNY. In April of 2016, the NEA approved Dalian’s National Chemical Storage Peak Load-Shifting Station demonstration project, with a scale of 200 MW/800MWh. This signifies the first time that the NEA has approved a national scale chemical storage demonstration project and ensures enormous benefits for Dalian’s flow battery industry.
Qinghai Province
In the 13th Five-Year Plan, Qinghai Province will classify lithium batteries as a “key industry.” The province has confirmed that its lithium reserves constitute over 80% of the entire national supply. At present, Qinghai Province plans to construct a vertical supply chain including lithium extraction from salt pools, synthesis of lithium carbonate, and manufacturing of positive and negative electrode material, membranes, power and storage batteries, power control systems, and electric vehicles. The government also plans to expand the electric vehicle user base in the cities of Xining and Haidong. They list primary storage applications as combining the PV and wind operations in Haixi, Hainan, and Haibei.
Bijie City (Guizhou Province)
Beginning in 2014, China began its first compressed air storage/multiple energy source demonstration project in Bijie City, Guizhou Province with 1.5 MW capacity. Next, in 2016, Bijie also became the site of China’s first large scale physical storage national research and development center, the first of its kind to be established in Bijie. After construction is completed, it will be the largest in Asia, gearing to produce world-class research.

8) ELECTRIC VEHICLE BATTERY RECYCLING PRESENTS BOTH OPPORTUNITIES AND RISKS

As electric vehicles become more and more widespread, a large scale influx of retired batteries can also be expected in upcoming years. In 2016, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued “Policy on Uses for Recycled Electric Vehicle Batteres (2015 edition)” pointing out that producers should be responsible for implementing systems to recycle and reuse electric vehicle batteries. Electric vehicle manufacturers should take on primary responsibility for the recycling of used batteries, while battery manufactures should take responsibility for after-sales service systems. Vehicle and Li-ion battery manufacturers alike have both started paying close attention to the battery waste chain.
According to the CNESA research team, domestic power battery enterprises have already began technology research and demonstrations with the battery waste chain in mind. Confronted with the enormous market capacity of second-life batteries, the domestic battery industry has many questions that need to be answered yet, such as how to set reasonable market prices, how to choose suitable applications, how to establish quality standards.

All in all, considering proven application value, strengthening in supporting policies, as well as increasing industry investment, the present developments in the domestic storage industry are stable and favorable. We look forward even more progress in the remainder of the year.


Thursday 29 September 2016

Lithium Race: Daimler To Make More Than 10 Electric Cars By 2025.

  


  Finally, great Germans are talking about electric cars seriously. Daimler is going to leave DieselGate behind in the dust and produce 10 electric cars by 2025 reaching the goal of 15-25 percent of sales overall.  I do hope that they are seriously serious this time - I have seen all those beautiful prototypes in 2009 already.  Instead, after spending billions of dollars on hydrogen they all have chosen "Clean Diesel. " We are all trying to clean that mess now from our streets.
  Volkswagen can lead by example now: if the company can survive all billions of dollars claimed in hundreds of lawsuits - "they are going to make millions of electric cars as well." I do really hope that they can all change - so far Elon Musk was taking on all those monsters of cancer hazard diesel pollution in the West in a very small team with Nissan-Renault and GM. China has managed to build EV industry from scratch and is now the leading electric cars manufacturing nation with sales approaching 500,000 this year.  Hopefully, we will be celebrating 1,000,000 EVs sold worldwide during 2016 in December.  Daimler is better to hurry before they will become totally irrelevant. Tesla Model S has already outsold Mercedes Class S last year!


Lithium Race: We Can Get 1,000,000 Electric Cars Sold Worldwide In 2016.

  
EVObsession


  "EV Obsession reports that now we have 500,000 electric cars in Europe. As you remember, I expect China to sell only this year 500,000 EVs with 207,000 already sold by August. Europe has 91,300 EVs sold by July and is taking the second place after China and before the U.S. with 93,197 EVs sold by September, which is now falling into the 3rd place. Europe will reach its 100,000 EVs sold faster than the U.S. this year. What is really interesting to note is that Renault Zoe is leading sales in Europe now with 14.2% market share. It is a nice car, but not the best electric cars can offer. Tesla Model S is at 8.7% of EU sales. It is the best electric car, but not affordable for the mass market by ant stretch of the imagination. 
  Now you can better realise why I am calling that the tide is coming after the release of GM Bolt and Tesla Model 3 following after that. For the first time, we will have two electric cars with more than 200 miles range and below $40k. Another very interesting point in this article that 250,000 EVs are estimated to be sold this year only in Europe! We are reaching the pivotal point on our way towards the mass market for electric cars and the total electrification of our transportation. We have now only over 1 million electric cars sold in all of our history. This year alone China can sell 500,000, now we can start talking that the U.S. will match Europe at least and we can have 1,000,000 electric cars sold just in 2016! China will see EVs sales accelerated after cleaning up its incentives scheme for the EVs makers earlier this year  and Tesla will be ramping up its production with GM selling Electric Chevy Bolts now as well.
  Markets will be up and down, companies will come and go, but we are witnessing the historic moment of coming out of ICE-age in our transportation. We are talking here about the disruption of $4 trillion transportation industry based on Lithium Technology. Now it is time to check out where all this lithium will be coming from. And the answer: "From Panasonic" - will be better than: "From the underneath of Tesla Gigafactory in Nevada", but still the same like if electricity is coming just from the socket in your wall. Read more."


Reuters:



Daimler's (DAIGn.DE) Mercedes-Benz and Smart brands will launch more than 10 electric cars by 2025, and zero-emission vehicles will make up between 15 percent and 25 percent of overall Mercedes sales by then, Chief Executive Dieter Zetsche said.
Speaking to journalists at the Paris Motor Show on Thursday, Zetsche said the automaker was preparing a major push in pure electric vehicles thanks to advances in battery technology and greater consumer acceptance of zero-emissions vehicles.
A new generation of electric vehicles will be sold under the "EQ" brand, and based on a new technical architecture developed specifically for battery-electric models, the company said.
In addition, Daimler has set up a digital technologies division called CASE to incorporate connected cars, autonomous driving, car sharing and electric vehicles. 
"Connectivity, autonomous driving, sharing and electric drive systems – each of these four trends has the potential to turn our industry on its head. Yet the real revolution lies in intelligently linking the four trends," Zetsche said at a Mercedes-Benz press conference in Paris. 
"We have the competence and the ability, and we cannot buy the technology from suppliers which does not yet exist," he added, explaining Daimler had little choice but to develop the technology in-house if it wanted to be a leading player. 
"We believe this is a unique selling point and we cannot be ahead if we appoint a camera manufacturer to be our lead developer," Zetsche said, in a thinly veiled swipe at rival BMW (BMWG.DE), which recently announced a development partnership for autonomous cars with Mobileye.
Daimler said it would launch a peer-to-peer car sharing service, which would allow customers to unlock and start the car using just their mobile phone. 
(Reporting by Edward Taylor; Editing by Victoria Bryan and Mark Potter)"

Lithium Race: Big Push For Electric Cars In China.



  As usual, reporters do not really know a lot in depth about the subject.  This Roadster from China will not compete with Tesla Model S - maybe with Tesla Roadster, particularly if it will be even more expensive.  What is really great news from this mass media video is that Chinese electric cars are not vacuum cleaners on wheels anymore. Real money is going into R&D and production facilities like in the case of CH-Auto. $350 million dollars for the new EVs manufacturing plant is the great news in any country of the world! China is leading the Lithium Race now and 25 companies are already making 51 models of electric cars. They are not Tesla yet, but lithium technology drives them very fast there. And they will be building millions of EVs literally in the next few years.  Lithium is the magic metal at the very heart of this Energy rEVolution.


China’s First Home-Grown Electric Sports Car.


"A Chinese company’s new electric sports car is aimed at the luxury end of the market, currently dominated by European brands. The WSJ's Colum Murphy reports."


  "War On Pollution" in China produces a range of new concepts of electric cars to conquer the largest auto market in the world. Not all of them will become the hit in the market, but the trend is apparent - EV is the future for mobility in China. Government supports this leap into the lithium based technology to close the gap with western automakers. Security of supply for lithium takes the centre stage in the development of strategic industry - electric cars. Tesla Gigafactory has already spiked interest to the lithium batteries and Megafactories are being built now in China by LG Chem, Foxconn, BYD and Boston Power. Read more."



Lithium Race: China Wants 3 Million Electric Cars On Road By 2025.





  "I guess that it is the case that whatever China wants they will get. In the case of electric cars with all the best central planning can get they will be there much faster. I am expecting that China will sell 500,000 only in this year. And we will see 1,000,000 electric cars sold worldwide in 2016. They have sold already 207,000 by August in 2016! Bloomberg is even more optimistic on the chat above. I will throw my own number - China will have at least 5 million electric cars by 2025. Why - just stay with me for a while. These twenty minutes can change your next 20 years of life. If Tony Seba is correct: all new cars sold by 2025 will be electric.
  There is a state-level military plan in action in China to leapfrog ICE-age technology directly into the post carbon world with its New Energy Plan. It is a part of strategic planning on the state-level within Five Year Plans. New Energy is based on Solar, Wind and Electric Cars. Military style planning includes the whole commodity chain starting with Lithium Raw Materials - Ganfeng Lithium and Tianqi are investing all over the globe to secure lithium supply. Lithium Chemicals including for lithium batteries production - China is number 1 in the world already including Ganfeng Lithium and Tianqi making it into "The New Lithium Top 5." Lithium Batteries - Now Warren Buffett's BYD is chasing Panasonic and new coming Megafactories in China from CATL, BYD, Foxconn, Boston Power, A123, LG Chem and  Panasonic will make China the center of Lithium Universe for many years ahead. Electric Cars - there are 25 companies which are making 51 models of EVs already in China and 200 companies are developing 4,000 new EV models.  
  This is what I call a serious exercise of a structural shift in the economy, driving internal consumption by building a 21st-century manufacturing base in Solar, Wind and Electric Cars and growing its middle class who will produce and consume all those beautiful cars. Now they will be able to breathe a fresh air as well. Welcome to Henry Ford idea with the state level implementation of new lithium technology and 1.4 billion people who would like to be happy and only starting to consume a fraction of the goods compare to the West.   
  I am preaching for the same approach here in the West for years. My dog is listening to me every time, but even him got bored already. Nothing is perfect anywhere, but you better check it out and learn fast: while we are still fighting DieselGate after one year from its mass media discovery, Red Dragon is flying fast and high picking up the best lithium projects, technology and brains to feed its new appetite for growth. Links below will provide you with my ideas where this growth will lead us  and what will be the diet for this hungry creature. For those who is a long time here - we are coming back to our main investment thesis. It is very difficult to handle dragons: they are naughty, moody and can fry you just by trying to kiss. It is a better business to run a grocery store and feed them well. This New Energy domination plan will require a lot of Lithium and Copper and this is where my research is leading me to as well now. Read more."


China Leads Lithium Race: Electric Cars Sales Doubled For July To 36,000 With 207,000 EVs Already Sold In 2016.


InsideEVs.


  "China leads the Lithium Race with 98% increase in EVs sales y/y in July! InsideEVs reports that New Energy Vehicles sales hit 36,000 in July bringing the total for 2016 to 207,000. Warren Buffett's BYD is in the lead. Year on year EVs sales in China in 2016 have more than doubled with 123% increase so far! Battery Electric Vehicles are taking 74% of total electric cars sales in China this year.
  Now we can run some back to back comparisons for China and the US. China is moving fast increasing the gap and confirming its status of the largest electric cars market in the world one more time. We have seen the largest increase in the US in sales of EVs in August up to 66% y/y with total 14,882 electric cars sold that month. In China, we had 98% rise and 36,000 EVs sold in July. Total EVs sales in the US up to September were 93,197 and in China, we have already 207,000 by August - leading the US by 122%!     
  What is really important that EVs sales in China are totally dominated by the Chinese automakers. Now we have 25 companies which are making 51 models of electric cars in China. And ... 200 companies are  developing 4,000 new models of electric cars! Not all of them will be Teslas, but we can see what state-level military planning can do. When in the West will we see our new "Manhattan Project" aim to destroy the corruption holding us all back for years with "Clean Diesel" and "Not So Dirty Petrol" cars? Nothing is perfect anywhere and China will take a lot of titles in this field as well, but I am talking about us - when will we start thinking longer than the next turn on the road or Q results? Elon Musk has taken us very far with his own money, holding the ground of the best Lithium Technology and Electric Cars alone against all China state-level planning military machine. Now we need millions of electric cars and very fast. Who will make it? When finally Apple electric car is coming if ever? Where are all those Titans of the E-Commerce, Technology and INTERNET who are swimming in cash - searches, RTs and likes are great, but do you really need them when you cannot breathe anymore? All questions are rhetorical, nothing will change before you start it. Stop buying cancer hazard polluting ICE-age garbage, join our call "Ban Diesel UK" and spread the message.
  For those who like to connect the dots and blessed with more than 30 seconds attention span, I will provide a few links showing what is really happening in the Energy rEVolution Universe now. Read more."


InsideEVs.



"The New Lithium Top 5": EV Race At Ludicrous Speed - 200 Companies Are Developing 4,000 Models Of Electric Cars In China.






  People are still choking up when I casually drop my line that there are 25 companies which are making 51 models of electric cars in China right now. Bloomberg is writing about another EV maker from Japan nobody-knows-about, but the real Lithium Bomb is coming with the line that around 200 companies are developing estimated 4,000 models of electric cars in China now!
  Should we all check together the lithium demand again? You can find the links below with more information about Tesla Gigafactory 1 and another dozen of Lithium Megafactories  all over the world. I was very cautiously pointing out to the 17 start-ups in China started in 2015 alone and trying to make lithium batteries before.  Bloomberg has brought us all on another page of understanding of this state-level crafted and carefully planned military operation called New Energy in China. Should we start talking about rumored 500 Lithium Batteries factories in China rising up right now?
   In our Lithium Universe, according to Robert Baylis,  Albemarle is number 1 getting 25% after its latest deal in China with Jiangli. SQM is struggling to hold 2nd place with 19%, with all its political problems.  FMC was left behind by Tianqi now with 16% claiming place number 3 and announcing the End of "Old Big 3". Ganfeng Lithium is challenging FMC as well and they both are sharing places number 4 and 5 in the "New Lithium Top 5". International lithium is building the vertically integrated lithium business with $4.5 billion giant from China. Ganfeng Lithium is a strategic partner of ILC and financing our J/V projects in Argentina and Ireland.
  Joe Lowry has pointed out that this recent move by Albemarle in China is expanding its margin, but not increasing the amount of LCE produced. I am following the comments on this chart below from Robert Baylis as well.





Robert Baylis.



Update September 5th, 2016:

Thank you, Joe, for your comments!






Warren Buffett's BYD Chasing Panasonic In Lithium Race: EV Lithium-Ion Battery Suppliers Outlook For H1 2016.



InsideEVs.


  Now we know who is feeding exactly this enormous growth of electric cars in China. InsideEVs provides very interesting data on the state of our lithium race for EVs lithium batteries market. Panasonic is still holding the number 1 place with 36% of the market, "but in terms of growth BYD is second to none moving up by more than 300%!" Now Warren Buffett's BYD claims 18% of this market. The first half of 2016 has seen an increase by 81% to nearly 8.5 GWh of lithium batteries capacity. As you can see, there is no Tesla yet on this chart at all! All lithium cells for Tesla are supplied by Panasonic. And there is no lithium under Gigafactory floor in Nevada. 
  Should we discuss the lithium demand picture again with 150 GWh of lithium batteries just coming from Tesla Gigafactory 1 by 2022 after initial 50 GWh in 2018? And what about another dozen of lithium batteries Megafactories all around the globe? 
  International Lithium strategic partner Ganfeng Lithium supplies Panasonic and BYD. Now this $4.5 billion giant from China finances International Lithium projects in Argentina and Ireland. Read more."



InsideEVs.



Lithium Market Small But Complex. Canadian Junior And Chinese Partner Taking Long View.




"Right now, Ganfeng is advancing ILC’s Mariana project in Salta province, Argentina. In July 2016, ILC and Ganfeng co-announced that a $12 million budget has been approved to accelerate exploration and development at Mariana.



ILC president Kirill Klip noted that Ganfeng has a $4.5 billion US market cap holding 19 patents for lithium products. Klip said the $12.5 million will enable ILC to firm up the size of the Mariana resource and move forward its application for a pilot production plant on the property.                                                     
“This access to capital and Ganfeng’s advanced lithium extraction technology puts  International Lithium in an exceptional position to move our project forward,” Klip said.  He cited recent discussions about ILC’s project with senior officials in the Argentinian government as evidence that the country is enthused about foreign investment in natural resource development. Read more."