Green Lithium powers on with 250-job Teesside refinery after plans approved

Plans have been approved for a 250-job refinery tipped to add fresh charge to the electric vehicle revolution.

Green Lithium is building a factory at Teesport.

Set to annually make up to 50,000 tonnes of battery-grade lithium chemicals, the firm says the site – described as the UK’s first large-scale merchant lithium refinery – will help drive production of more than one million zero-emission vehicles across Europe by 2030.

Bosses say the 58-acre base – which will support more than 1000 construction jobs during its build – will also bolster energy storage and national grid stabilisation.

Sean Sargent, Green Lithium chief executive, said: “By 2030, the overall European market alone will require 800,000 tonnes of refined lithium per year.

“East Asia currently processes 89 per cent of the world’s hard-rock lithium, and demand there is expected to exceed production output by 2030.

“Therefore, the UK and EU’s dependence on imported refined lithium chemicals creates uncertainty over supply, price and volume security.

“Teesport is an ideal location for producing low-carbon and environmentally-friendly lithium.”

Frans Calje, chief executive at Teesport operator PD Ports, added: “We remain committed to supporting Green Lithium in its aims to create high-quality jobs for the Tees Valley, and to promote the Tees as an attractive prospect for investors – positioning the region at the heart of the UK’s energy transition.”