Raw material side, prices of lithium carbonate, nickel sulphate, and cobalt sulphate all fell steadily this week.

The tender for the PC turnkey contract of the Inner Mongolia Huadian Damao Banner 1 million kW wind and solar power-to-hydrogen integrated project has recently been initiated. The tender is divided into Section I and Section II, with the project site located in Damao Banner, Baotou City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. According to the tender announcement, the project is the first phase of the Inner Mongolia Huadian Damao Banner 1 million kW wind and solar power-to-hydrogen project by Huadian Huayang Company. The first phase will build a 1 million kW new energy power generation scale, including 700 MW of wind power and 300 MW of PV. The wind power segment plans to install 70 wind turbine generators each with a single-unit capacity of 10 MW, while the PV segment is expected to adopt 710 Wp to 740 Wp half-cell, double-glass N-type battery modules. The project will also include supporting construction of one 100 MW/200 MWh LFP battery ESS power station, two 220 kV step-up substations, as well as access roads, collector lines and other equipment and facilities, forming a coordinated operation system integrating wind power, PV, energy storage and hydrogen production. For the hydrogen production segment, the project plans to construct 83 units of 1000 Nm³/h, 1 unit of 2000 Nm³/h and 1 unit of 3000 Nm³/h alkaline electrolyzer hydrogen production systems , totaling 85 electrolyzers, with an annual hydrogen production of about 47,000 mt. For hydrogen storage, the project will deploy 25 units of 2000 m³ hydrogen spherical tanks, providing a hydrogen storage capacity of about 650,000 Nm³, along with supporting facilities such as one 220 kV general step-down substation for hydrogen production. In terms of the schedule, the overall project is planned to be put into operation on August 25, 2027. Among them, Section I has a tentative construction period of 300 days, and Section II has a tentative construction period of 360 days. The specific start time is subject to the bid inviter's written notice, and the end time is subject to the project's completion acceptance, while in principle meeting the group company's requirements for the date of reaching the standard and being put into production. This tender is divided into two sections. Section I involves the 617 MW wind-solar power PC turnkey contract works, including 450 MW wind power, 167 MW PV, one 220 kV step-up substation, and one 100 MW/200 MWh electrochemical energy storage project. The scope of this section covers the procurement of equipment and materials except for those supplied by Party A, as well as construction, installation, commissioning, and grid-related testing within the wind power, PV, energy storage and substation areas. Section II covers the 383 MW wind-solar power PC turnkey contract works and the construction turnkey contract works for the hydrogen production station and 220 kV general step-down substation, including 250 MW wind power, 133 MW PV, and related construction contents of the hydrogen production station and general step-down substation. For this section, apart from the equipment supplied by Party A, it also includes the procurement of relevant equipment and materials, as well as construction, installation, and commissioning within the scope of wind power, PV and hydrogen production station works. According to the announcement, the project does not accept consortium bids. As a wind and solar power-to-hydrogen integrated project, the Damao Banner project systematically integrates new energy power generation, energy storage regulation, electrolytic water hydrogen production, and large-scale hydrogen storage. Upon completion, the project is expected to further enhance Inner Mongolia's green hydrogen supply capacity, providing support for the large-scale consumption of renewable energy and the development of the hydrogen-based energy industry.

Shanghai Metals Market (SMM) is thrilled to announce that our flagship event 2026 SMM Germany Solar & Energy Storage Forum was successfully held at the Hotel Novotel Muenchen Messe, Munich, Germany on June 23! Focused on the front-line European PV+ESS market, the forum brought together high-ranking executives and veteran industry experts from the global new energy industry chain, serving as a professional platform for in-depth China-Europe PV+ESS industry collaboration and dialogue. Opening Remarks From PV Boom to Storage-Driven Power Markets in Europe Guest Speaker: Liao Yu, Power Operation Center General Manager, LONGi Green Energy Drawing on the real landscape of Europe's energy transition, Mr. Liao systematically addressed four major industry topics: Analyzing the market dynamics behind the surge in PV capacity and frequent negative electricity prices; Reviewing new energy storage policies in key countries such as Germany and the UK, including Germany's energy storage strategy, the UK's capacity market reform, and new grid connection queue regulations; Comparing subsidy incentives and self-consumption revenue models for commercial & industrial and residential ESS across different countries; Examining the current European regulatory framework and its profound implications for the global expansion of China's PV+ESS industry chain. He noted that the industry's logic has fundamentally shifted: PV is no longer just about module manufacturing, nor is it limited to PV + energy storage hardware sales. What we are discussing is not only about cost reduction and efficiency gains in hardware, but also about how to leverage energy storage to enhance generation asset returns, control operation and maintenance costs, and optimize enterprise-wide energy asset life cycle management. Keynote Speech: How China’s Export Tax Policy and Raw Material Volatility Affect PV and Battery Pricing? Guest Speaker: Ryan Tzy Tze Yang, PV Modules and End Use Market Analyst, SMM Ryan pointed out that, hit by the dual cost shock from the cancellation of export tax rebates and raw material price fluctuations, module export quotations rose to around $0.12/W in January. Higher costs are prompting overseas clients to prioritize high-end technology pathways, accelerating the industry’s product mix shift toward high-efficiency modules. Additionally, polysilicon and silver account for a significant share of cell manufacturing costs, and their price movements remain the core variables driving cell cost fluctuations. Global PV installations entered a period of adjustment in 2026 : constrained by grid integration bottlenecks across major regions and tightening policies in multiple countries, new PV installations worldwide are expected to temporarily decline to 435 GW in 2026. Amid this deep adjustment cycle driven by infrastructure and policy constraints, the structure of end-use applications is expected to show resilience, with utility-scale projects maintaining a stable share of approximately 56%. Panel Discussion: EU Solar Projects and China’s PV Supply Chain – Opportunities and Challenges Moderator: Cleo Zhou, Overseas Business Development Manager, SMM Panelists: Ksenia Dray, Global Solar Supply Chain Leader, Res Group Pierre-Louis Raust, Head of Design and EPC Procurement, Power Capital Renewable Energy Allen Xu, Deputy General Manager, Global Marketing, Gokin Solar Co., Ltd. Huang Gengwen, Executive Dean, Module Department, Crystalline Silicon Research Institute The guests noted that the lengthy construction cycle of Europe’s local PV industry chain, wild swings in energy and raw material costs, protracted project approval and grid connection processes, local manufacturing policies that inflate supply chain layout costs, differences in technology roadmap choices and compliance standards between European and Asian industrial systems, the lack of end-user control over upstream resource prices, coupled with capacity diversion by emerging markets, are the main obstacles hindering China-EU cooperation in advancing EU PV projects. In terms of opportunities, the China-EU PV industry is highly complementary, with China offering mature capacity, complete system solutions, cost hedging tools, localized production line support, and mass production cost reduction capabilities, while Europe provides cutting-edge innovative technologies; this division of labor can jointly achieve Europe’s PV goals. Meanwhile, new technologies, customized solutions, and hedging instruments can mitigate Europe’s challenges with costs and project implementation timelines. Keynote Speech: How Technology Choices Shape BESS Economics Guest Speaker: Michael Strobel, Business Director Europe, Great Power Three Core Dimensions of BESS Economics Safety Value: Safeguard asset security and ensure business continuity and stable operation; Investment Return: Enhance life cycle return rates and reduce the levelized cost of energy storage; O&M Management: Ensure reliable equipment operation and cut full-cycle O&M expenses. High Safety Is the Core Principle of BESS Battery Cell : Use of high-quality LFP battery cells; advanced aerogel insulation technology to block thermal propagation; certified to GB, UL, IEC, UN, MSDS, and RoHS standards. Battery Pack: Battery Pack: Aerogel insulation layers block thermal propagation between battery cells. Fuse protection circuits reduce short-circuit risks; Battery Cluster: multi-level (fuses/contactors/disconnect switches) protection; Comprehensive Protection: overcharge/overdischarge/short-circuit protection. Panel Discussion: BESS Project Development in Europe: Grid, Permits, and Reality on the Ground Moderator: Liao Yu, Power Operation Center General Manager, LONGi Green Energy Panelists: Jan Fousek, CEO, Czech Energy Storage Association Gery Bonduelle, Chief of Business Development, Verkor Antonio Montoto, Head of Storage, Greenvolt Power Joanne Xu, Overseas Business Development Manager, SMM The guests noted that, at the grid level, energy storage demand across European countries far exceeds the existing grid capacity. While the responsibilities of TSOs and DSOs are clearly defined, grid operators lack sufficient resources and face approval delays, and foreign investment access is restricted with local content requirements. Policies vary widely across countries; Germany adopts a first-come, first-served mechanism for grid connection quotas, leading to clear regional market differentiation. Moreover, the permitting and implementation stage is fraught with obstacles. Large-scale centralized grid connections bring equipment compatibility and logistics challenges, such as the transportation of large-capacity storage containers. Geopolitical shifts, policy changes, and ongoing fluctuations in raw material and electricity prices constantly erode project returns. The core Central European market is fragmented across multiple countries. As a 10- to 20-year long-term investment, simply chasing low-cost equipment is not advisable. At the same time, future additional electricity loads will further strain the existing grid capacity. In response to these pain points, the speakers also proposed practical solutions: on the one hand, establish an industry association to interface with power grid operators in a unified manner, conduct pre-review of project documentation in advance, and streamline the review process; on the other hand, coordinate multiple parties including EPC contractors, the power grid, equipment suppliers, and financial institutions. For development outside China, rely on local partners to leverage the complementary strengths of the China–Europe industrial ecosystem. Enterprises can also effectively reduce risks by completing end-to-end preparations in advance, establishing a pre-operations and maintenance system, and implementing compliance support in phases. In the long run, grid connection approvals, delays in power grid capacity expansion, and price fluctuations remain the industry’s core challenges. However, the energy storage track offers ample investment opportunities; supported by integrated system solutions, new technology iterations, and industry collaboration, deployment challenges can be gradually alleviated. Meanwhile, the speakers also expect the market to see more high-quality standalone energy storage projects with sustainable and stable operations. That's the end of our 2026 SMM Germany Solar & Energy Storage Forum. Thank you for the support of all industry peers. See you next year!

[SMM Cobalt Lithium Morning Meeting Minutes: This week, overall sentiment in the industry chain recovered, as a rebound in upstream raw material prices drove some material prices higher. Lithium carbonate, LFP, and separator segments performed strongly. Downstream production schedules stayed high, with demand from energy storage, commercial vehicles, and power batteries still providing support. However, acceptance of high prices was limited, and actual transactions were mostly based on essential needs. Cobalt salts, nickel salts, and ternary cathode precursors remained in the doldrums, with a strong wait-and-see sentiment prevailing in the market. Overall, short-term prices may continue to drift higher, but attention still needs to be paid to raw material arrivals, the sustainability of restocking, and the realization of end-use demand going forward.]

Raw material side, lithium carbonate prices rose somewhat this week, while nickel sulphate and cobalt sulphate prices fell steadily.

SMM June 30 News: News 13: [15k-ton Waste Li-ion Battery Recycling and Reutilization Project Launched in Linyi, Shandong] Recently, the media released the first public announcement on EIA for the annual 15,000-ton waste LIB recycling and reutilization expansion project. The project involves a total investment of RMB 50 million, located in Yinhe New District, Linyi, Shandong. It consists of a safe storage facility for waste LIBs and one waste LIB recycling and reutilization production line. Upon completion, it will achieve an annual processing capacity of 15,000 tons of waste LIB materials, recycling 12,461.55 tons of waste 3C LIB powder, waste LFP battery powder, waste NCM battery powder, and waste cell powder per year. News 14: [100k-ton Waste Li-ion Battery Recycling and Comprehensive Utilization Project Launched in Changxing, Zhejiang] Recently, the local government released the public notice on the EIA for the LIB full-life-cycle comprehensive utilization base construction project. The project involves a total investment of RMB 82.06 million, located in Xiaopu Town, Changxing County, Huzhou, Zhejiang. It consists of waste LIB recycling & regeneration, cascade utilization, and recycling & dismantling & crushing & regeneration treatment production lines, as well as LIB Pack production, cell testing & sorting, module assembly, and Pack production lines. After reaching full capacity, it will achieve an annual processing capacity of 100,000 tons of waste LIBs and electrode sheets, and an annual output of 3 GWh high-energy Pack battery packs. News 15: [120k-ton Waste New Energy Power Battery Comprehensive Utilization Project Launched in Yangquan, Shanxi] Recently, the ecological environment authority released the public notice on the draft EIA document for the annual 120,000-ton waste new energy power battery comprehensive utilization project (Phase I). The project involves a total investment of RMB 570 million, with Phase I investment of RMB 30 million, located in the Weibo Park of Yangquan High-tech Industrial Development Zone. Phase I consists of an annual 20,000-ton waste new energy power battery dismantling & crushing production line and a 5,000-ton waste new energy battery cascade utilization production line. Upon completion, Phase I will achieve an annual processing capacity of 20,000 tons of waste new energy power batteries and 5,000 tons of cascade utilization. News 16: [15k-ton Waste Power Battery Regeneration Project Launched in Jiande, Zhejiang] Recently, the local government released the EIA public notice for the waste power battery regeneration project. The project involves a total investment of RMB 137 million, located in Hangzhou Jiande High-tech Industrial Park. It consists of newly built dry process workshop, wet process workshop, comprehensive warehouse, and solid waste warehouse, adopting advanced domestic process technologies and equipping with discharging systems, pyrolysis furnaces, leaching kettles, impurity removal kettles, etc. Upon completion, it will achieve an annual processing capacity of 15,000 tons of waste power batteries and 10,000 tons of LFP battery black mass. News 17: [10k-ton LFP Black Mass Production Line Construction Project Launched in Tongren, Guizhou] Recently, the local economic development zone released the pre-approval public notice on the EIA report for the annual 10,000-ton LFP black mass production line construction project at the industrial base. The project involves a total investment of RMB 42.69 million, located on the reserved land of the existing plant area in the economic development zone. It consists of one 10,000-ton LFP black mass oxidative lithium extraction production line, which uses LFP battery black mass through acid leaching, impurity removal and other processes to produce lithium sulfate solution. Upon completion, it will achieve an annual output capacity of 27,519 tons of lithium sulfate solution.

SMM June 30 News: News 1: [2k-ton Waste Li-ion Battery Recycling Project Launched in Changsha, Hunan] Recently, the ecological environment authority released the public notice on the draft EIA report for the waste power battery recycling and resource utilization project (Phase I). The project involves a total investment of RMB 30 million, located in Ningxiang Economic and Technological Development Zone, Changsha, Hunan. It consists of one dismantling and pyrolysis production line for waste LIBs and separators. Upon completion, it will achieve an annual processing capacity of 10,000 tons of waste LIBs and separators, yielding 4,100 tons of lithium battery black mass and 2,590 tons of copper/aluminum materials per year. News 2: [20k-ton Waste New Energy Li-ion Battery Recycling Project Launched in Jieshou, Anhui] Recently, the local government released the first public announcement on EIA for the project of recycling 20,000 tons of waste new energy LIBs and producing 30,000 tons of recycled plastic products annually. The project involves a total investment of RMB 100 million, located in Tianying Science and Technology Park, Jieshou High-tech Zone. It consists of two waste LIB crushing production lines, four plastic pellet production lines, and four plastic product production lines. Upon completion, it will achieve an annual processing capacity of 20,000 tons of waste new energy LIBs, and an annual output of 20,000 tons of modified plastic pellets and 10,000 tons of plastic products. News 3: [80k-ton Waste Li-ion Battery Dismantling and Comprehensive Utilization Project Launched in Gao County, Sichuan] Recently, the local government released the public notice on the draft EIA report for the 80,000-ton waste LIB dismantling and comprehensive utilization project. The project involves a total investment of RMB 300 million, located in Yibin Circular Economy Industrial Park, Gao County. It consists of 10 battery dismantling and crushing production lines, including three LFP battery crushing lines, two NCM battery crushing lines, two LFP cathode sheet processing lines, two LFP anode sheet processing lines, and one battery cascade utilization line. Upon completion, it will achieve an annual dismantling and comprehensive utilization capacity of 80,000 tons of waste LIBs. News 4: [300k-ton Waste LFP Battery Regeneration Project Launched in Yichang, Hubei] Recently, the ecological environment authority released the public notice on the draft EIA report for the 300,000-ton waste LFP battery regeneration project. The project involves a total investment of approx. RMB 1.07 billion, located in Yaojiagang Chemical Park, Yichang, Hubei. It consists of hydrometallurgical leaching, impurity removal, lithium salt synthesis, iron phosphate synthesis, and supporting water treatment, warehousing and logistics systems. Upon completion, it will achieve an annual processing capacity of 300,000 tons of waste LFP battery packs, yielding 22,500 tons of lithium carbonate, 90,000 tons of iron phosphate, and 64,000 tons of sodium sulfate per year. News 5: [20k-ton Waste Power Battery Crushing and 50k-group Cascade Utilization Project Launched in Kashgar, Xinjiang] Recently, the ecological environment industry association released the first public announcement on EIA for the integrated project of cascade utilization and crushing & recycling of new energy vehicle waste power batteries in Kashgar Economic Development Zone. The project is located in the Chengbei Area of Kashgar Economic Development Zone. It consists of one cascade utilization production line with an annual processing capacity of 50,000 groups of waste power batteries, and one crushing and sorting production line with an annual processing capacity of 20,000 tons of waste power batteries. Upon completion, it will achieve the above-mentioned annual processing capacities. News 6: [100k-ton Retired Li-ion Battery Recycling Project Launched in Lixian, Hunan] Recently, the local government released the announcement on the launch of the new energy circular economy and energy storage equipment industry project in Lixian. According to public information, the Phase I investment is RMB 500 million, located in Lixian, Changde, Hunan. It consists of production lines for recycling and processing 100,000 tons of retired LIBs and 100,000 tons of retired PV modules annually. Upon completion, it will achieve an annual processing capacity of 100,000 tons of retired LIBs, with an estimated annual output value of RMB 1 billion.

In H1 2026, lithium battery recycling capacity construction accelerated, with seven provinces and regions—Ningxia, Jiangxi, Hunan, Anhui, Sichuan, Hubei, and Xinjiang—collectively announcing environmental impact assessment documents for a batch of scrap lithium battery recycling and comprehensive utilization projects. These projects cover various types of scrap resources such as LFP, ternary battery packs, positive and negative electrodes, and wires and cables, showing a clear trend of lithium battery recycling expanding from eastern coastal regions to the inland areas of central and western China.

Entering July, the traditionally recognized "off-season" for power batteries appears to be losing its relevance. According to the latest SMM data, power battery production in June continued its growth trajectory, up 9% MoM and over 65% YoY. In July, a month that typically sees a seasonal pullback, production schedules also maintained MoM growth of roughly 9%, displaying a rare "stronger-than-usual off-season" pattern across the industry. What is driving this counter-seasonal growth? Demand Side: PHEVs and EREVs Lead the Way, Commercial Vehicles Show Strong Momentum From the perspective of end-use demand, new orders for new energy vehicles remained robust, particularly for plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and extended-range (EREV) models, which continued to ramp up volume. With product advantages offering a balance of driving range and charging convenience, these have become key growth drivers in the current passenger vehicle market. Meanwhile, new model orders released by some automakers earlier are gradually feeding through to the battery segment, translating into tangible production schedule boosts. The commercial vehicle sector is equally noteworthy. Driven by sustained policy support, the electrification of logistics vehicles, light trucks, and heavy-duty trucks has clearly accelerated, with full life-cycle cost advantages becoming more pronounced in high-frequency operational scenarios. After entering July, commercial vehicle demand did not weaken seasonally but instead maintained a steady growth trend, providing strong support for high-capacity LFP battery cells. The LFP system continues to dominate this round of incremental growth — on one hand, benefiting from the continued volume ramp-up of mainstream A-class and below passenger vehicles, and on the other, receiving an additional boost from the dual drivers of energy storage and commercial vehicle demand. While the overall recovery pace for the ternary system lags behind that of LFP, marginal improvements in high-end BEV models, a new wave of export orders, and some export demand have also driven a certain rebound in ternary battery cell production among top-tier players, effectively supplementing overall industry output. Inventory Side: Low Inventories Drive Pre-stocking Window Forward Beyond direct demand-side drivers, inventory levels across the industry chain serve as another important supporting factor for this "stronger-than-usual off-season." Currently, overall inventory across the power battery industry chain remains at a relatively low-to-normal level (the inventory-to-sales ratio is about 1.3 months), leaving battery cell manufacturers with a thin safety margin for stockpiling. Against this backdrop, enterprises' willingness to actively build inventory has strengthened considerably — rather than waiting for the peak season to arrive and then making passive procurement under delivery pressure, it is better to lock in capacity and accumulate an inventory buffer ahead of time during the off-season window. It is particularly worth noting that this stockpiling activity is expected to continue through August, with the core logic being early positioning for the traditional "September-October peak season." Mainstream battery cell enterprises broadly assess that the end-use consumption peak from late Q3 to early Q4 will bring concentrated cargo pick-up demand. If inventory preparation proves insufficient by then, it will directly impact delivery capabilities and market share. Therefore, the current seemingly "excessive" production schedules are essentially forward-looking, strategic stockpiling actions. Outlook: Peak Season Stockpiling Logic Continues to Unfold, Production Hits New Highs With dual support from both the demand and inventory sides, power battery production is expected to extend its growth trajectory in August. Structurally, LFP will remain the core source of incremental growth, while ternary battery cell output is projected to stage a steady rebound as high-end models and export orders continue to improve. Driven by the combined forces of policy support, new model volume ramp-ups, and proactive stockpiling, a "stronger-than-usual off-season" for the power battery industry is likely to become a defining feature of H2 2026, laying a solid foundation for achieving the full-year production target. SMM New Energy Industry Research, Lithium Industry Analyst, Wang Zihan 021-51666914

South Korea's NEV market is recovering from the slump at year-end 2025, but the current rebound is still dominated by HEVs, rather than being driven solely by BEVs. Although BEV share has rebounded, the sustainability of the recovery remains to be confirmed. For South Korean battery enterprises, it has become difficult to gauge demand recovery simply by relying on domestic EV sales and export data. In contrast, driven by South Korea’s policy demand and utility-scale energy storage projects in North America, ESS is becoming a clearer growth channel.