A geopolítica de energia do lítio na América do Sul

Abstract

Given the context of the transition of the world energy matrix from fossil to renewable sources and the growth of the market for technology, it occurs in a process of greater demand for products that support these markets. This is the case of lithium-ion batteries, which store energy and subsequently put the most diverse objects into operation. Thus, these batteries and their input, lithium, have a strategic and decisive role for the aforementioned sectors, as well as for the actors involved, both state and private. In this way, the lithium triangle region also has a strategic role given its ability to feed these markets. The hypothesis of the present work consists of the affirmation that given the public policies of the energy sectors since the 1990s of the three countries that make up the lithium triangle region, Argentina, Bolivia and Chile, there was a process of gradual opening to entry of multinational lithium extraction companies in the lithium salt flats region, as well as the increase in the role of these multinationals in relation to state actors from the region. The general objective is to seek to understand the performance of lithium extraction companies in the region, so that the specific objectives are to identify the players in the lithium market in South America, present the public policy of the three countries and analyze their differences. . Primary and secondary sources, texts, academic articles and government texts were used, as well as data from research institutions. A qualitative approach was used with the explanatory purpose, through as mentioned the effectiveness of the bibliographic research, thus developing a research with the hypothetical-deductive method. It can be seen that, among the players in the region, the private ones stand out to the detriment of the state-owned ones and that the public policies of the countries differ to a large extent. It is concluded that the performance of international multinationals in the regions of the salt flats of the respective countries in the extraction of lithium is increasing, as well as the increase in the proportion of their performance in relation to state actors.