Manufacturing price of mobile energy storage vehicle in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Can the Democratic Republic of the Congo produce lithium-ion battery cathode precursor materials?

London and Kinshasa, November 24, 2021 – The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) can leverage its abundant cobalt resources and hydroelectric power to become a low-cost and low-emissions producer of lithium-ion battery cathode precursor materials.

Could the Congo become an electricity exporter?

Almost all electricity generation today comes from hydropower and the Inga project has the potential to provide much more. If network constraints are addressed, Democratic Republic of the Congo could become an electricity exporter.

How does the Democratic Republic of the Congo support the economy?

In the AC, Democratic Republic of the Congo supports an economy six-times larger than today’s with only 35% more energy by diversifying its energy mix away from one that is 95% dependent on bioenergy.

How much would a DRC plant cost?

This is three times cheaper than what a similar plant in the U.S. would cost. A similar plant in China and Poland would cost an estimated $112 million and $65 million, respectively. Precursor material produced at plants in the DRC could be cost competitive with material produced in China and Poland but with a lower environmental footprint.

Why is the DRC a cost competitive country?

“The DRC’s cost competitiveness comes from its relatively cheap access to land and low engineering, procurement and construction, or EPC, cost compared to the U.S., Poland and China,” said Kwasi Ampofo, lead author of the report and BNEF’s head of metals and mining.

How can Africa extend its access to the battery industry?

In so doing, the country and the rest of Africa can extend their access from the USD271 billion battery precursor segment to the more lucrative USD1.4 trillion combined battery cell production and cell assembly segments of the battery minerals global value chain.