In 2019, the company vigorously raised the level of energy cleanness by comprehensively carrying out coal-to-steam and coal-tonatural gas conversions, which combined with rooftop photovoltaic power generation and self-produced energy storage batteries that optimised the structure of energy use. In addition, the company carried out the construction of a climate change risk identification, assessment and management mechanism to initially identify the development opportunities brought by climate change, as well as the transformation risks and physical risks.
Clean energy utilization
The company is zealous in using clean energy. During the year, Ganfeng Battery's photovoltaic power generation was 2.465 million kilowatt-hours, of which 2.414 million kilowatt-hours were self-generated for self-use and 51,000 kilowatthours went on grid to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 2,000 tons. At the same time, the company's energy storage lithium battery is used as an accessory for energy storage in solar projects, effectively supporting the construction of solar projects and providing guarantee for the use of renewable energy. In 2019, Ganfeng Battery's energy storage projects discharged 2.218 million kilowatt-hours of electricity, making a positive contribution to carbon dioxide emission reduction and global climate change mitigation.
In 2021, the first phase of the rooftop photovoltaic project of the Company’s Mahong Plant was officially connected to the grid. The project costed RMB 14,212,800 and took eight months to complete. It was connected to the grid for power generation in November 2021, with a registered capacity of 4.626 MWp.
Environmental-friendly lithium extraction from salt lake
Minera Exar is a tie-up between Ganfeng Lithium and Lithium Americas Corp (LAC). Its core lithium Salt Lake project — CauchariOlaroz —is already under construction where the lithium resource reserves support an annual output of more than 40,000 tons of battery-grade lithium carbonate for 40 years. Lithium extraction from the Salt Lake takes solar energy as the main energy source and consumes very little fossil energy. The processed water used in the project takes the source that does not meet drinking-water standards, thus avoiding the consumption of fresh water. In addition, because of no need for high-temperature roasting and other links, the process effectively reduces carbon dioxide emissions. After commissioning, the Cauchari-Olaroz project is expected to become one of the most environmental-friendly lithium projects in the world.
Our lithium extraction project in the Mariana Salt Lake in Argentina will fully use sustainable electricity. In order to reduce its carbon footprint and provide sustainable carbon-free energy, Ganfeng Lithium plans to build a 150-MW photovoltaic power station with energy storage operation. This plan is one of the few enterprise projects in the plateau region in Provincia de Salta that can provide 100% sustainable energy supply. Solar power can avoid GHG emissions into the atmosphere. In this case, 157,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions can be reduced every year, realizing a circular model of lithium mining, product manufacturing, and product use and supporting environmental protection.
