As the US heads to the polls to vote for its next presidential candidate in what many have characterized as one of the closest races in electoral history, the energy sector hangs in the balance.

Mining executives are weighing the benefits and challenges of Chinese partnerships while grappling with price slumps and the looming impact of the US Inflation Reduction Act.

A domestic price mechanism for lithium in the US is essential to bring transparency to the industry in order to successfully secure supply of the critical mineral, Graham Harris, chairman and director at Surge Battery Metals, told Fastmarkets in an interview.

Here are the key insights from our conversation with Fastmarkets’ Paul Lusty on the future of the battery raw materials and electric vehicle markets

Interest in recycling battery raw materials in the US has increased, particularly from the electronics and lithium-ion battery sectors, and due in part to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), according to New York-based Glencore trader Mary Schilling.

Electric vehicle (EV) battery makers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are willing to pay a premium for Inflation Reduction Act-compliant material, according to a top executive at US-based natural graphite producer and processor Westwater Resources Inc.

During Aemetis’ quarterly earnings presentation, CEO Eric McAfee highlighted the inadequacies of current US tax credits for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and emphasized the need to extend Section 40B.

Here are the five things we learned from Helaina Matza on the energy transition policies in the US

Sustainable aviation fuels are seen by many as the answer to reducing carbon emissions. But how can the industry reach the high adoption targets set by policy makers, when supply is still lagging behind demand. In this analyisis, we look at production trends, supply sources and pricing patterns

Read the full transcript from episode one of Fast Forward podcast with Andrea Hotter, where she interviews Helaina Matza, Special Coordinator for Global Infrastructure and Investment at the US Department of State