The pure wealth of the region and the entire country
LiLithium represents a great opportunity for the Ústí nad Labem Region, for the Czech Republic, for all of us. This metal is essential for the emerging electromobility industry and for renewable energy. With lithium, we have an opportunity to take our industry to the next level and engage in a sector that will bring us prosperity for decades to come. We want the citizens and inhabitants of the Ústí nad Labem Region and surrounding municipalities to benefit as much as possible from this prosperity. Wherever we do business, we have the very best neighbourly relations. Improving the quality of life for people in the surrounding area is one of the principles of our business. We also support the activity of inhabitants in the regions, which is one of the missions of our ČEZ Foundation.
Pavel Cyrani
Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of ČEZ, who is managing the lithium park project
It is already used today in various types of batteries that are part of our lives. But the development of electromobility and renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, has led to the rapid growth in its importance. The Ústí nad Labem Region now has a unique opportunity.
Cínovec has one of the richest lithium deposits in Europe and its exploitation will be of strategic importance for ensuring the energy security and self-sufficiency of our region and the country as a whole. The Ústí nad Labem Region was a symbol of the old coal-based energy industry. However, this will soon come to an end, and the region has a unique opportunity to become a symbol of the modern, innovative and clean energy future.
Due to its properties, lithium is an irreplaceable element in lithium-ion batteries, which are the most commonly used type of battery today because their capacity and durability best meet the demands of modern technology. The demand for Li-ion batteries in Europe is forecast to grow approximately tenfold by 2030, mainly due to the development of electromobility and the need for energy storage for renewable energy. By 2040, demand is expected to increase significantly, several times more.
The production of lithium and lithium products will contribute to an improvement in the quality of life in the region and boost it economically.
The project will create quality jobs and attract more business to the region, as well as research and development, which is key to further growth. For our region, the project will bring funds for investment in its development. All activities will be carried out with scrupulous attention to ecology, responsible business, good relations with neighbouring communities and the needs of local inhabitants.
We will source lithium in a state-of-the-art way, using only the latest environmentally friendly technologies. Lithium mining will be carried out underground, which is quite different from the open-cast mines located in other parts of the region. Our chosen method will not disturb the local landscape.
will be created by the project itself. A further 2,000 or so jobs may be created by the planned battery gigafactory under construction in nearby Prunéřov.
are located in the Cínovec area. The deposit is also significant on a global scale. It is a strategic raw material that will ensure the Czech Republic's energy security and the development of modern technologies throughout the region. The project has been classified by the European Commission as a strategic project under the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA). This step confirms the crucial importance of the Czech deposit in the pan-European context.
The planned investment in the construction of a lithium park in Cínovec will bring in billions of crowns for the Ústí nad Labem Region. These funds will be invested directly in the region and will directly benefit the surrounding area.
ČEZ Group will build 6,000 MW of renewable capacity by 2030 to provide clean energy and ensure a secure and stable supply of electricity at the lowest possible price. Much of it in the Ústí nad Labem Region. And the lithium from Cínovec can be used in these key projects and help ensure our energy self-sufficiency. One special battery using lithium already exists at the Tušimice power plant.
It is estimated that there will be 350,000 electric cars in use in the Czech Republic by 2030. It is important for our economy that as many electric cars as possible are produced here, and lithium production can contribute to this.
ČEZ is a good and responsible neighbour
Over the long term, the project will attract more inhabitants, strengthen civic and cultural life, and increase tax revenues for the municipalities. The attractiveness of the surrounding towns will be improved and the renewal of their infrastructure will be accelerated. The share of mineral royalties will also significantly increase local budget revenues. The whole project will have no impact on the UNESCO listed monuments of the Ore Mountains. The region is on the list thanks to its mining tradition.
The main investor of the project is ČEZ Group, a Czech company that always focuses on cooperation with municipalities and the best possible relations with local inhabitants.
The ČEZ Foundation's mission is to support public benefit projects that respond to current social needs. It develops education and sport, improves the environment and helps those in need.
For example, ČEZ regularly contributes to:
- Educational, cultural or social activities of municipalities and local associations (firefighters, hunters, etc.)
- Sports events, sports clubs and the construction of sports grounds in the regions
- Increasing the availability and quality of social services
- Improving the quality of the environment, planting rows of trees, regenerating forests
The economic activity will increase the attractiveness of the region and improve the living conditions of its inhabitants.
Lithium production will increase the attractiveness of the Ústí nad Labem Region and contribute to a positive perception in the eyes of the whole of Europe. It will also be an example of one of the successful transformation projects within the coal regions of the European Union.
ČEZ Group returns the income from its business to the regions where it operates. The project will have an impact on Czech GDP growth and thus also on the income of the region.
New job opportunities
The Lithium Park will create 1,800 direct jobs. Most of them may be filled by employees of the coal industry, which will gradually disappear in the North Bohemian region in the coming years.
Gigafactory
In addition to lithium production, a Czech gigafactory for battery production is planned. Research and development will also take place here. All this will contribute to the region rapidly transforming into a developed one with high competitiveness and high living standards.
Metal of the future
The demand for Li-ion batteries will grow significantly in the coming decades. In the Ústí nad Labem Region, a project with a long future and job security can be created and will ensure massive development of the municipalities and the region, and will turn it into one of the most developed localities in the Czech Republic.
The Czech Republic has a strongly developed automotive industry, which today accounts for 10% of GDP and a quarter of all industrial production. It employs half a million people.
This key sector is facing huge changes as a result of the shift away from the production of internal combustion engines. The development of electromobility can be an opportunity for the Czech Republic to transform the automotive industry. Our own production of electric car batteries using domestic lithium represents a key strategic advantage over other countries. The intention is therefore not only to extract the lithium, but also to process it and produce the final product in the form of Li-ion batteries. All this could take place directly on the territory of the Ústí nad Labem Region.
"Having a battery factory, at least one, is a logical and strategic step for the Czech Republic. The Czech Republic needs it because it is heavily dependent on the automotive industry. It should be remembered that if capacity is not created in the Czech Republic, it will certainly be created elsewhere in the region or Europe. But then jobs and added value will also move out of our territory." Deloitte study, Development of battery production in the Czech Republic (September 2021)
The European Union wants to become a world leader in battery development and production as part of decarbonisation. Batteries will increasingly be needed not only for transport but also for storing renewable energy.
But today we import them mainly from Asia. Producing our own batteries will make Europe more sustainable, secure and competitive. The Czech Republic can take advantage of its own source of a key raw material - lithium. And to build on this with our own battery production capacities, thereby establishing a strong position in a new technology sector that is guaranteed to grow dynamically within the EU.