Chile’s SQM, the world’s second-largest lithium producer, has partnered with blockchain startup Circulor to map emissions across the lithium supply chain for carmakers like Volvo Cars, the two companies said on Wednesday.
Legislative pressure is rising on electric vehicle (EV) makers and battery producers to track the human rights and environmental impact of their supply chains.
SQM and Circulor say they have been working together on “end-to-end lithium supply chain traceability” since last year, tracking lithium from Chile all the way to an EV battery, which should provide carmakers with greater accuracy in calculating the embedded carbon footprint of their products.
“We have the lowest CO2 and water footprint of any lithium producer in the world, and Circulor’s technology will now enable us to demonstrate this at every stage of the value chain,” SQM chief executive Ricardo Ramos said in a statement.
Circulor uses blockchain technology to map supply chains for companies pursuing greener, more sustainable production. The UK startup is working with a number of carmakers including Volvo and Polestar.
The company also recently announced a partnership with StoreDot, an Israeli startup developing fast-charging batteries.
The carbon footprints of rechargeable EVs, light transport and industrial batteries sold in Europe must be disclosed from 2024, and they must comply with a CO2 emissions limit from 2027.
