A Closer Look at Batteries
Increasingly powering the globe – and geopolitics
A Closer Look
Batteries increasingly power everything around us. All thanks to major innovations and a supply chain that spans the world. And that’s where things get complicated.
Critical raw materials required for batteries are not evenly distributed worldwide. Asia, notably China, plays a crucial role in the lithium-ion battery supply chain, encompassing everything from mining to manufacturing to innovation.
Meanwhile, with the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, the U.S. is enhancing its capacities in securing minerals and expanding domestic production. Europe, despite its resource limitations, leads in innovation and electrification, driven by stringent environmental policies.
As battery costs sink and technology advances, nations increasingly view batteries as vital for national security and economic competitiveness. This transition is shaping new geopolitical relationships and, with that, creating opportunity for new dependencies and conflicts.
In this edition of A Closer Look, recorded on July 9, 2024 and moderated by Asia Society Switzerland's Remko Tanis, explore Asia's driving role in battery production and innovation, plus the broader impact this has on global trade, geopolitics, and sustainability with experts Marina Yue Zhang and Duo Fu. Available as webcast and as a part of our STATE OF ASIA podcast.
PODCAST
SPEAKERS

Marina Yue Zhang is an Associate Professor at the Australia-China Relations Institute at the University of Technology Sydney. Before that, she held positions at the University of New South Wales and Tsinghua University. Marina holds a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from China’s Peking University, and an MBA and a PhD in innovation studies from the Australian National University. She is the author of three books, including Demystifying China's Innovation Machine: Chaotic Order, co-authored with Mark Dodgson and David Gann (Oxford University Press, 2022). Marina writes articles on the intersection of technology and geopolitics, delving into industries such as semiconductors, critical minerals, smart manufacturing, electric vehicles, and digital economy, and their geopolitical implications.

Duo Fu is Vice President, Clean Tech division, at Rystad Energy, heading the company's Battery Markets research. Based in London, he specializes in battery end-sector research. He works closely with the wider supply chain division based in London, Oslo and Shanghai.
Duo has over nine years of experience in analysis in the metals industry. His specialist focus within the Battery research has been in battery supply, demand, and cost analysis.
A Closer Look is organized by Asia Society Switzerland in partnership with DKSH.
