A single Tweet has led to preliminary discussions between the provincial government and electric vehicle and clean energy giant Tesla.
Energy Minister Andrew Parsons says it’s very early in the game, but he confirms he will be speaking with representatives of Tesla this week about a possible partnership linked to the company’s desire for zero-carbon nickel for car batteries.
Parsons Tweeted out to Tesla founder Elon Musk last week, reminding him and the world of what Newfoundland and Labrador has to offer in terms of “ethical” nickel, as well as cobalt, copper, lead and zinc.
Hey @elonmusk! You want ethical Nickel? #NewfoundlandAndLabrador has it. We also have Cobalt, Copper, Lead and Zinc – everything you need for @Tesla lithium batteries. We’re ready for you! #NLHasWhatYouNeed @IET_GovNL pic.twitter.com/pcwxHfkLvx
— Andrew Parsons (@Andrew_Parsons1) December 12, 2020
Parsons says his Tweet yielded immediate results.
He says since the Tweet, the government has made contact with Tesla through an employee who is originally from this province.
Parsons says the purpose of the Tweet was to draw attention to the vast amount of relevant minerals and other resources the province has to offer to companies like Tesla.
