Europe’s fight to build a local EV and battery supply chain
The recent announcement of funding for 47 strategic project, in line with the EU’s CO2 targets for carmakers in force this year, suggests progress. But after the EU’s tariffs on Chinese EVs, and the US waging its own trade war with China, is Europe’s road to electrification faltering?
Join the Argus Battery Materials team — editor Tom Kavanagh, reporter Chris Welch and analyst Dylan Khoo — in discussing what lies ahead in this fast-evolving market.
Key topics covered:
- The EU’s €22.5bn for 47 critical minerals projects
- China’s investments in Europe’s EV supply chain
- What might a US-China trade war mean for Europe?
- Will the EU meet its CO2 targets for 2035?
Related news
Andromeda sends first high-purity alumina to Japan
Andromeda sends first high-purity alumina to Japan
Singapore, 30 October (Argus) — Australian mining firm Andromeda Metals has sent its first commercial high-purity alumina (HPA) sample to a potential customer in Japan, the company said in an ASX announcement on 29 October. The HPA was produced at Andromeda's continuous pilot plant using kaolin from its Great White project in South Australia. Samples produced at the plant reached a purity of up to 99.9989pc, according to the announcement. The commercial sample was sent to a potential customer in Japan's high-tech manufacturing sector for evaluation as part of Andromeda's customer engagement programme. The company did not disclose the customer or the intended end use. Andromeda plans to continue its pilot plant test programme through the October-December quarter and produce further commercial samples for prospective customers, according to the announcement. Several Australian companies are producing or developing HPA as they seek to expand commercial-scale production. Australian developer Alpha HPA has been producing HPA at its Stage One facility in Gladstone, Queensland, where output reached over 1,200 kg/week by October 2024, the company said. Alpha HPA is also constructing the second stage of its HPA First project in Gladstone, with first production scheduled for 2027. Fellow developer Cadoux has produced 4N HPA at pilot scale in Western Australia (WA) and is developing a proposed 10,000 t/yr commercial HPA project. Exploration firm Impact Minerals is also developing its 80pc-owned Lake Hope HPA project in WA, where a pilot plant is under construction and scheduled for installation and commissioning by 30 November, the company said on 26 October. Impact also owns 50pc of Alluminous, which operates a separate HPA pilot plant in Perth. Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
US critical minerals strategy supports Australia: Panel
US critical minerals strategy supports Australia: Panel
Sydney, 30 October (Argus) — Australian critical mineral firms can benefit from US government funding and procurement restrictions, but companies need to be proactive about kickstarting projects and understanding US funding options, delegates heard at Sydney's International Mining and Resources Conference from 27-29 October. The US is shepherding G7 countries forward to reach alignment on critical minerals and is committed to its partnership with Australia, US Department of Commerce deputy assistant Joshua Kroon said. Australia is already compliant with US procurement restrictions on the sourcing of tantalum and tungsten issued under the National Defence Authorisation Act, which make it a competitive source of supply, US Department of Defence (DOD) technical director Adam Burstein said. US president Donald Trump in July signed an executive order instructing the DOD to stop issuing most waivers for the procurement restrictions from 1 January 2027. Further restrictions under the act on the sourcing of metals including gallium and germanium will come into effect from 18 December 2027. The DOD has moved quickly this year to invest $174mn in US aluminium producer Alcoa's gallium refinery in Western Australia and $400mn in Australian developer Sunrise Energy Metals' Syerston scandium project in New South Wales, Burstein said. But Australian companies need to understand how to access to full range of US financing options, non-profit Securing America's Future Energy executive director Abigail Hunter said. These include funding from the DOD, the Department of Energy (DOE), the Office of Strategic Capital, the Defence Industrial Base Consortium, and the US Army-operated Cornerstone. The DOE will give preference to Australian companies that are also invested in the US, such as manganese developer Element 25, DOE senior advisor Andres Rodriguez said. The DOE gave Element 25 a $166mn grant in January 2025 for its Louisiana-based high purity manganese sulphate monohydrate refinery. The US government-backed Development Finance Corporation (DFC), which has historically only invested in developing countries, has also expanded its mandate to look at critical minerals supply chains in Five Eyes countries including Australia, DFC regional managing director Douglas Midland said. Mining and minerals processing is now a national goal for the US, which could not have been said 10 years ago, American Exploration and Mining Association executive director Mark Compton said. The US' focus on critical minerals will outlive the Trump administration because this new national goal enjoys bipartisan and broad public support, Compton said. The US senate may be close to passing the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act (BAAJA), which will cut red tape for mining firms and speed up development in the US, Compton added. Capital goes where capital is welcome, Kroon said, indicating that Australia may also need to do more to "clean up" its regulatory approval processes to stay competitive. By Daniel Gage-Brown Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Enel adding 600MW Bess to Chile portfolio
Enel adding 600MW Bess to Chile portfolio
Santiago, 29 October (Argus) — Construction of Italian utility Enel's four new battery energy storage systems (Bess) in Chile remain on track with a combined capacity of 600MW, the firm's Chile chief executive Gianluca Palumbo said on Thursday. The four projects will operate with existing solar and/or wind generation plants and all incorporate grid-forming technology, which helps renewable energies maintain grid stability, Palumbo said during a results conference call. "By helping maintain voltage and frequency, [grid-forming technology] can provide the same stability traditionally provided by conventional power plants," he said. First off the block, the 205MW Las Salinas Bess will be Chile's first to operate with grid-forming technology, representing a major milestone, he said. Las Salinas recently connected to the grid and commercial operations are expected to start in 2027. The 153MW Valle del Sol and 94MW Azabache Bess projects are also scheduled to start next year, he said. Construction began at the 100MW Finis Terrae Bess project in August and is scheduled to come on line in 2028. Once complete, the four projects will increase Enel's Bess capacity in Chile to 800MW. Chile approved a regulation earlier this year requiring Bess, solar and wind plants to incorporate grid forming technology to enhance grid stability as thermal plants are phased out. Enel's January-September profits rose by 11pc from a year before to $390mn, Enel Chile said. Heavy rains since August that lifted hydro generation by 3pc to 8.2TWh boosted the performance. Enel is Chile's largest generator with installed capacity of 8.9GW. Of the total, 41pc are hydro; 35pc are wind, solar and geothermal; 17pc are combined-cycle gas plants and 5pc are powered by oil and gas. Bess represents 2pc. By Emily Russell Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Hydro starts work on new extrusion line at Cressona
Hydro starts work on new extrusion line at Cressona
Houston, 29 October (Argus) — Norway-based aluminum producer Hydro has begun constructing a new extrusion line at its facility in Cressona, Pennsylvania, as part of its efforts to modernize its manufacturing footprint in North America. The $53.5mn line will include a 5,900 metric tonne (t) indirect extrusion press and a 45,000 lb/hr billet furnace, with other upgrades including a semi-automated handling system for aluminum profiles, Hydro told Argus on Thursday. The company expects the line to begin operations in the first quarter of 2028. The project will replace a legacy line with a water-powered hydraulic press that was constructed in the 1950s, as Hydro looks to capitalize on growing demand for indirect extrusions that provide improved grain structures and consistent mechanical properties. Indirect extrusions involve pushing a die toward a stationary billet, compared with the opposite process when making direct extrusions, which is the industry norm. Hydro primarily supplies indirect extrusions to customers in commercial transportation, automotive and electrical end markets. The new line comes two years after Hydro installed an indirect extrusion press as part of an earlier modernization push, which coincided with an expansion of Cressona's casting capacity. The company, which picked Italy-based Presezzi to build the new press, called for "more nuanced" trade policies that do not increase the cost of capital-intensive equipment, noting that extrusion presses and other specialized assets that are "produced only in Europe" carry tariff burdens that threaten the "competitiveness of domestic manufacturing". By Alex Nicoll Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.