IESA and FBICRC join forces for strengthening the battery supply chain ecosystem in India

India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA) has announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Australian Future Battery Industries Cooperative Research Centre (FBICRC) that will focus on raw materials, the supply chain for advanced battery manufacturing in India, it's development & integration and Australian and India battery value chains.

The MoU was signed by Debi Prasad Dash, Executive Director, India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA), and Shannon O'Rourke, CEO, Australian Future Battery Industries Cooperative Research Centre (FBICRC) in the presence of Hon. Roger Cook, Deputy Premier, Western Australia among other representatives from Western Australia and companies working on energy storage, battery supply chain, and raw materials.

Hon. Roger Cook, Deputy Premier, Western Australia said- "This MoU will be a milestone for the new partnership between Australia and India in critical minerals specific to energy storage and battery minerals."

He also mentioned How Western Australia has a huge reserve of lithium minerals which will help India's ambitious plans for energy storage manufacturing.

Shannon O'Rourke, CEO, Australian Future Battery Industries Cooperative Research Centre (FBICRC) said, "By 2040, IEA forecast India to be one of the largest battery energy storage markets; Australia is the largest critical mineral producer. This collaboration will enable closer ties for global battery manufacturing."

Commenting on the partnership, Debi Prasad Dash, Executive Director, India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA) said- "Western Australia has a very good reach in critical minerals including lithium-ion and others. As the Indian government is now focusing on Giga factories in India, IESA expects 6-8 Giga factories to come up in the next 3- 5 years. For these Giga factories lithium, cobalt, and other raw materials are required to set up the factories. There are more than 20-30 companies as part of IESA's India Battery Supply Chain Council who are interested in chemical processing and mineral refining process to support these gigafactories."

"IESA is closely working with the Ministry of Mines, Khanij Bidesh India Ltd (KABIL), and industry counterparts for the import of raw materials and developing this process industry in India. This partnership between India and Western Australia will help in procuring lithium hydroxide and lithium carbonate to support advanced energy storage Giga factories."

The MoU between IESA and FBICRC will remain in effect for three years from the date of signing.