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Roshan Pujari, Founder & CEO, Stardust Power – Powering Progress: Refining lithium production with sustainable practices and American innovation
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Summary:
There's a growing call for clean energy solutions in America, and our guest today is ready to answer it. With an unpredictable geopolitical landscape and US lithium demands projected to skyrocket over 500% by 2030, now is the time for American innovation in the outdated lithium refinement industry. Today’s guest is leading this charge, modernizing an industry long overdue for and upgrade with a commitment to environmental responsibility and smarter, sustainable practices.
Roshan Pujari is the founder and CEO of Stardust Power, a sustainability-focused, American developer of battery grade lithium resources, which lists on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the symbol SDST. Currently, the company is focused on building 'the U.S.’s largest battery-grade lithium refinery' in Muskogee, Oklahoma, which is expected to process up to 50,000 metric tons of lithium annually (enough to power almost five million electric vehicle (EV) batteries every year).
Previously serving as founder and CEO of VIKASA Capital, Roshan brought over 20 years of experience in market analysis with him to Stardust. He is a recognized investor and philanthropist, and is chairman of the Pujari foundation, a 501(c)(3) educational organization promoting arts, culture, education, and community around the globe.
In this episode, Roshan discusses the strategic advantages of the location chosen for their Oklahoma refinery, and outlines the sustainable practices, including the use of recycled wastewater from oil and gas production, at the core of Stardust's business model.
Highlights:
- Roshan's path to the energy industry (3:00)
- Stardust Power's Oklahoma refinery project (4:15)
- Roshan describes the lithium supply chain (5:21)
- What are the advantages to keeping lithium production domestic? (7:22)
- Roshan describes the strategic advantages of building the refinery in Oklahoma (9:28)
- How do legacy methods of lithium production harm the environment? (11:52)
- Roshan reflects on potential impacts of the upcoming US election to the industry (13:26)
- Where is the electric vehicle industry likely headed? (15:04)
- The expertise of Stardust Power's leadership team (16:45)
- Taking Stardust Power public (18:23)
- Limiting technology risk in the supply chain (20:15)
- Roshan's vision for Stardust's future (22:03)
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