Eni invested $225 million in EnergyX’s Chilean subsidiary, Black Giant SpA. The deal secures a 25% stake in a lithium project located near the Salar de Punta Negra. This site will utilize Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) technology to reduce environmental impact. The project targets an annual output of 52,500 tons of lithium carbonate equivalent at full capacity.
Eni Storage Systems simultaneously broke ground on a stationary battery manufacturing plant in Brindisi. This facility will produce lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries for grid-scale storage systems. These Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) aim to improve grid stability and support renewable energy growth.
The Chilean investment directly fuels Eni’s new Gigafactory initiative. Eni maintains an option to offtake 25% of the project’s lithium production. This supply will provide the raw materials necessary for the Brindisi battery plant.