Electric vehicles and stationary energy solutions are creating a higher demand for battery storage. Conventional supply chain models, however, fall short in capturing the complex interconnection between raw material extraction, battery production, and power in the energy and automotive sectors. Erika Faigen's presentation will uncover the geopolitical, economic, and industrial dynamics of the global battery production network, highlighting corporate strategies and the role state policies play, while addressing the urgent challenges of environmental limits and responsible resource extraction and consumption.

The presentation will take place on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, between 4:15 PM - 5:45 PM in Lecture Hall 9 (HS 9) – Lecture Hall Building (HG).

Erika Faigen is an economic geographer concerned with the role of R&D and innovation in sustainable mineral-based material uses in energy technologies.She is currently a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow at the University of Vienna. In collaboration with the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), Erika earned her PhD in geography at the University of Copenhagen. Her PhD research centered on a global value chain analysis of rare earth elements (REE).

The presentation has been organized by the Commodity Studies Lab in cooperation with the Socio-Ecological Transformation Lab.