France’s First Lithium Battery Plant Set for Port of Lauterbourg

Viridian Lithium has signed a lease agreement with the Ports of Strasbourg for a plot of approximately 14 hectares, with an option for an additional 6 hectares, located at the Lauterbourg site. The company aims to build a lithium purification and conversion plant, a first of its kind in France.

A Project to Facilitate the Transition to Electric Mobility

As part of the France 2030 Plan, the French government launched an initial call for projects in 2022 to encourage the development of production, refining, or recycling projects for critical materials (lithium, nickel, cobalt, tantalum, copper, etc.), which are essential for green technology sectors such as batteries and electric motors. Viridian Lithium is one of the five initial winners with its CoRaLi project, which aims to establish France’s first lithium refinery and Europe’s first lithium purification and conversion plant. By leveraging France’s energy mix and an innovative industrial approach, this plant will produce battery-grade lithium with the lowest carbon intensity in the world. Access to a local lithium conversion capacity is a strategic advantage for the battery sector in France and Europe. Viridian Lithium will thus contribute to building a robust, competitive, and low-carbon supply chain for critical metals, essential for a sustainable transition to electric mobility. Viridian Lithium aims for an initial production of 28,500 tons of battery-grade lithium hydroxide monohydrate per year starting in 2027, eventually meeting the demand to produce 2 million electric vehicles per year.

An Activity to Address Decarbonisation Challenges

The establishment and development of this strategic activity on the ZAC of the Port of Lauterbourg is an opportunity for the port establishment to address the challenges of decarbonising mobility, contributing to international and national environmental goals (carbon neutrality and reduction of greenhouse gases), as well as the objectives set out in the 2024-2028 strategic plan of the PAS. As a multimodal platform, the Ports of Strasbourg are poised to play a key role in the decarbonisation of mobility converging to and from the port, within the Rhine ecosystem. This support for the energy transition will extend to actors in river, rail, and road transport who handle the transportation of goods, as well as to energy producers and distributors. Ultimately, the port establishment aims to make the Ports of Strasbourg the Rhine hub for decarbonised transport.

About Viridian Lithium

Founded in November 2021 with the goal of strengthening the European supply chain for lithium battery materials, Viridian Lithium is set to build France’s first lithium conversion and purification plant. Viridian Lithium will convert lithium carbonate salts from various sources and qualities into battery-grade lithium hydroxide monohydrate, serving the battery supply chain. Viridian Lithium is also developing innovative industrial processes to purify various forms of lithium from recycled batteries. Viridian Lithium chose the Grand Est Region for strategic reasons. Its headquarters in Strasbourg, the European capital, is located in the heart of centers of excellence in chemistry and materials physics. The Grand Est Region also has a dynamic ecosystem that supports businesses and accelerates their industrial projects. This region represents a key industrial area within the value chain of automotive production in Europe, enabling Viridian Lithium to construct its plant in alignment with the development of electric vehicle production supply chains.

Viridian Lithium will create up to 250 direct jobs in Alsace and 600 indirect jobs during the construction phases of the production lines.

Viridian Lithium is part of France 2030’s national battery strategy.

Website: www.viridianlithium.com

About Ports of Strasbourg

As France’s second-largest inland port and Alsace’s primary freight station, the Ports of Strasbourg handle 7 million tons of river traffic annually and nearly 400,000 container handlings. The Ports of Strasbourg are central to regional transitions and a major player in the modal shift towards less polluting rail and river transport. They play the role of France’s Eastern seafront. The Ports of Strasbourg are also focused on decarbonisation, with an industrial ecology initiative that has been operational for nearly a decade and an active waste heat recovery network since 2021. The Ports of Strasbourg combine economic development and ecological transition, supporting 500 companies and over 10,000 direct jobs across various sites in Bas-Rhin (from Marckolsheim to Lauterbourg). The Ports of Strasbourg have two subsidiaries that contribute to the region’s economic vitality:

• Rhine Europe Terminals, which manages container terminals
• Batorama, which offers boat tours and is the region’s leading tourist attraction.

Website: www.strasbourg.port.fr