General Discussion Topics, page-140640

You’ve made some solid points about the challenges. While there's a short-term oversupply issue, don’t forget the regional dynamics in North America, especially with Sayona. Sayona’s got a strategic edge being in North America, which is quickly becoming a hub for battery and refining facilities. Lots of new projects, including battery gigafactories and lithium processing plants, are in the pipeline. These projects aim to boost the local supply chain for EVs and renewable energy storage, which should help stabilise regional demand for lithium.

On top of that, North American producers could benefit from favourable policies, tax credits, and ESG incentives. The US government is pushing hard to build a strong domestic supply chain for critical minerals, which could give companies a big boost. Tesla's refinery in Texas, set to open by mid-2024, it will produce enough battery-grade lithium for a million EVs annually. Plus, there are lots of new battery cell gigafactories coming online by 2025, involving big names like Ford, GM, and Stellantis, spread across various states.

Also, the US energy storage market hit a record for installations in Q1 2023, indicating a rising demand for energy storage solutions, which is great news for the lithium market.