Livista Energy Europe has chosen France’s Technip Energies to deliver the front-end engineering design (FEED) and detailed feasibility study for its first European lithium refinery, Kallanish reports.

The undisclosed contract covers engineering, early procurement activities, cost estimations and all permitting works required to build the chemical plant in Germany. It also includes the pre-FEED study for a second plant.

The refinery will have the capacity to produce 40,000 tonnes/year of battery-grade lithium chemicals -- 30,000 t/y of lithium hydroxide and 10,000 t/y of lithium carbonate. This initial volume should meet demand from around 850,000 EVS, Livista estimates, noting the refinery will have the potential to double production “over time.”

First production is planned for 2026, offering OEMs locally refined products processed from both primary and secondary lithium feedstock. By 2030, recycled raw materials should account for 50% of the first plant’s capacity, meeting EU requirements for localised supply chains.

“We are pleased to have been selected for this ambitious lithium refining project,” comments Technip Energies chief operating officer Marco Villa. “As we continue to grow our footprint in the lithium refining space, we are eager to contribute to the decarbonisation of the European automotive industry.”

Commenting on the award, Livista’s chief operating officer Jean-Marc Ichibia highlighted Technip’s “strong global reputation” for delivering projects on schedule and on budget globally, primarily to the energy/oil industry.

Livista announced in February plans to build a spodumene concentrate conversion facility in Ghana in partnership with CAA Mining to feed its European refinery. The company is also said to be considering UK feedstock sourcing, backed by a £9.4 million ($11.7m) grant from the country’s Automotive Transformation Fund. The funding supported a feasibility study to investigate whether it is viable to include UK-sourced lithium products in the EV battery supply chain.