{"id":10853,"date":"2023-12-13T16:39:00","date_gmt":"2023-12-13T05:39:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/?p=10853"},"modified":"2024-12-17T23:27:13","modified_gmt":"2024-12-17T13:27:13","slug":"nz-carbonscape-pushes-net-zero-biographite-for-ev-battery-market","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/nz-carbonscape-pushes-net-zero-biographite-for-ev-battery-market\/","title":{"rendered":"How CarbonScape&#8217;s Biographite Takes Fight to China for EV Batteries"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>A NZ start-up has secured funding from Stora Enso to produce graphite from wood chips, using a patent technology that could make up half the global demand for lithium-ion battery production by 2030!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It comes as Ford Motors warned the United States earlier this year that the West was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techspot.com\/news\/99132-ford-chairman-us-cant-compete-china-when-comes.html\">not ready<\/a>&nbsp;to compete with China on EVs and called for the industry to learn and adapt quickly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/amid-russias-import-ban-finland-carves-bold-new-direction\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">As reported in September<\/a>, Stora Enso uses Lignin, up to 30% of the wood composite, to produce highly processed, fine carbon fibre for batteries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, Wood Central can reveal that CarbonScape has secured a US $18 million investment from the Finnish forest giant, battery producer Amperex Technology Ltd (ATL), and other parties to commercialise production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The investment, according to CarbonScape, &#8220;marks a critical shit to clean energy&#8221; and is a crucial piece of the puzzle as the global leaders look to reduce emissions as part of COP28 discussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The start-up is pushing onshore manufacturing and claims that the technology will help Western battery manufacturers in the face of &#8220;increasing supply chain instability, while also onshoring production of a critical material to meet rapidly growing demand.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Reshoring <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/GraphiteProduction?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#GraphiteProduction<\/a> in the growing <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/lithiumion?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#lithiumion<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/battery?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#battery<\/a> markets of <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Europe?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Europe<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/US?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#US<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/sustainably?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#sustainably<\/a> is essential to the success of the <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/cleanenergy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#cleanenergy<\/a> transition. Our <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/technology?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#technology<\/a> brings the solution with locally produced <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/carbonnegative?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#carbonnegative<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/biographite?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#biographite<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/anode?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#anode<\/a>. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/IRENA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@IRENA<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Tva0pSRd6B\">pic.twitter.com\/Tva0pSRd6B<\/a><\/p>&mdash; CarbonScape &#8211; Sustainable Battery Technology (@CarbonScape) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CarbonScape\/status\/1684364571975520256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 27, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Graphite production is the largest single carbon emitter in the battery raw material supply chain; by switching to bio-based substitutes, manufacturers could cut the carbon footprint of each battery by 30%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By volume, it makes up the most significant portion of a lithium-ion battery, up to half its weight.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>CarbonScape has patented a process to use forestry industry by-products, such as wood chips, to make a bio-based substitute for graphite.&nbsp; &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Founded in 2006, it began developing a process to make &#8220;biographite&#8221; from forestry and timber industry by-products such as wood chips a decade later.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Electric vehicles are a massive part of the global effort to tackle <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/climatechange?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#climatechange<\/a>. But the <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/batteries?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#batteries<\/a> that power them are big polluters too. See CarbonScape\u2019s world-first solution in this <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SeeTomorrowNZ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@SeeTomorrowNZ<\/a> Tech &amp; Innovation Story. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/EV?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#EV<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/graphite?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#graphite<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/greenfuture?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#greenfuture<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/EOZAFhpGNA\">https:\/\/t.co\/EOZAFhpGNA<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/HF3rvCfC8B\">pic.twitter.com\/HF3rvCfC8B<\/a><\/p>&mdash; CarbonScape &#8211; Sustainable Battery Technology (@CarbonScape) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CarbonScape\/status\/1637555185689182208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 19, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The technology offers the global lithium-ion battery industry a &#8220;drop-in alternative to synthetic and mined graphite, enabling local production, high performance, and a negative carbon footprint.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It has a pilot facility in Marlborough, New Zealand, where it produces biographite for customer testing and validation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The new funding will see the company dramatically scale up its production capabilities and invest in European and US production facilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Using Less than 5% of forestry by-products, it claims it can produce enough graphite to meet half the projected demand for EV and grid-scale batteries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Ivan Williams, CarbonScape&#8217;s CEO, &#8220;this investment represents a strong support for sustainable sourcing of battery materials for global decarbonisation.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Moreover, the new investment will &#8220;enable the establishment of localised battery supply chains from the ground up.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;If we are to truly move away from fossil carbon and power our economies through mass electrification,&#8221; he said, &#8220;we urgently need sustainable alternatives like biographite to scale quickly.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Great to show Hon <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JudithCollinsMP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@JudithCollinsMP<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/stuartsmithmp?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@stuartsmithmp<\/a> around our scaled up NZ production facility, as we drive forward plans to establish large scale manufacturing of <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/localised?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#localised<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/carbonnegative?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#carbonnegative<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/biographite?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#biographite<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/anode?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#anode<\/a> for <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/ElectricVehicle?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#ElectricVehicle<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/batteries?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#batteries<\/a> in Europe and North America. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ijFzL82TtJ\">pic.twitter.com\/ijFzL82TtJ<\/a><\/p>&mdash; CarbonScape &#8211; Sustainable Battery Technology (@CarbonScape) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CarbonScape\/status\/1669097429520744448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 14, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Currently, graphite for the anodes of batteries comes from mined natural or synthetic graphite produced from petroleum products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, CarbonScape&#8217;s new bio-graphite substitute &#8220;has a carbon negative footprint, saving up to 30 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions per tonne of material compared to synthetic or mined graphite.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The material can also be manufactured close to battery factories, &#8220;helping to cut down on CO2 emissions compared to mined graphite transported from distant locations.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wood Central understands that graphic makes up to half the weight of lithium-ion batteries, which is essential to the electric vehicle and energy storage sectors.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, global demand far outstrips supply, and a deficit of 777,000 tonnes annually is expected by 2030.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>EV makers, including Tesla, have been rushing to secure graphite outside its dominant producer, China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Europe also has heightened anxiety about China&#8217;s lithium-ion battery supply chain dominance.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The first annual <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/IEA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@IEA<\/a> Critical Minerals Market Review, just released, emphasizes the critical importance of graphite. The report reveals that the surging demand for minerals, driven by the record deployment of clean energy technologies. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/TqHzVQeonb\">https:\/\/t.co\/TqHzVQeonb<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/IEkiKOBa5o\">pic.twitter.com\/IEkiKOBa5o<\/a><\/p>&mdash; European Carbon and Graphite Association (@Ecga_C) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Ecga_C\/status\/1678836849278697475?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 11, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rechargenews.com\/energy-transition\/dont-get-hooked-on-chinese-batteries-after-quitting-russian-gas-europe-warned\/2-1-1519960\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">On Monday<\/a>, Recharge News revealed that EU leaders have been<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rechargenews.com\/energy-transition\/dont-get-hooked-on-chinese-batteries-after-quitting-russian-gas-europe-warned\/2-1-1519960\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>&nbsp;<\/strong>warned<\/a>&nbsp;to avoid repeating the mistakes of their previous reliance on Russian gas by becoming dependent on Chinese lithium-ion batteries needed for the energy transition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Taiwan has emerged as a global semiconductor and lithium-ion production powerhouse in recent years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/english.cw.com.tw\/article\/article.action?id=2929\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">According to Taiwan-based CommonWealth Magazine<\/a>, &#8220;In 2020, the revenues from semiconductor industries contributed 15% of Taiwan&#8217;s GDP, and ranked No. 1 in the world by dominating more than 20% of the global semiconductor-related revenues.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen recently&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rechargenews.com\/wind\/eu-chief-von-der-leyen-pledges-new-support-for-struggling-wind-power-industry\/2-1-1517552\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">attacked China<\/a>&nbsp;for &#8220;deliberate policies&#8221; to cause supply chain issues in the renewables sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The EU claims that China has already cornered the market for lithium-ion batteries, &#8220;without implementing strong measures, the European energy ecosystem could have a dependency on China by 2030 of a different nature, but with a similar severity, from the one it had on Russia before the invasion of Ukraine,&#8221; they claim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"614\" src=\"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3356-1024x614.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10854\" srcset=\"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3356-1024x614.webp 1024w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3356-600x360.webp 600w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3356-300x180.webp 300w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3356-768x461.webp 768w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3356-696x418.webp 696w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3356-1068x641.webp 1068w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3356-700x420.webp 700w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3356.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. (Photo Credit: European Council)<br><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>There is concern that Chinese manufacturers could outcompete their European counterparts with cheap&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rechargenews.com\/wind\/chinese-to-make-massive-wind-turbines-in-europe-as-sany-eyes-15mw-onshore-monster\/2-1-1517480\">and mighty<\/a>&nbsp;wind turbines that are&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rechargenews.com\/wind\/power-giant-statkraft-would-certainly-consider-using-chinese-wind-turbines-in-europe\/2-1-1518021\">too hard to resist developers<\/a>, much as they did in the solar sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The head of Europe&#8217;s leading wind industry group, WindEurope, warned project developers&nbsp;to think about the &#8220;long-term implications&#8221; before being &#8220;tempted&#8221; by Chinese wind turbines that he claimed are being offered with unfair subsidies and could be a security threat.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A NZ start-up has secured funding from Stora Enso to produce graphite from wood chips, using a patent technology that could make up half the global demand for lithium-ion battery production by 2030! It comes as Ford Motors warned the United States earlier this year that the West was not ready&nbsp;to compete with China on [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":15434,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":false,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"","_twitter_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type":"","_pinterest_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"","_medium_share_type":"","_threads_share_type":"","_google_business_share_type":"","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[51,53,32,46,114,45],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[70],"class_list":{"0":"post-10853","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-americas","8":"category-europe","9":"category-global-news","10":"category-industry","11":"category-new-zealand","12":"category-sustainability"},"authors":[{"term_id":70,"user_id":2,"is_guest":0,"slug":"jason","display_name":"Jason Ross","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/J-Ross-headshot.jpeg","url2x":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/J-Ross-headshot.jpeg"},"0":null,"1":"","2":"","3":"","4":"","5":"","6":"","7":"","8":""}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10853","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10853"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10853\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15435,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10853\/revisions\/15435"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15434"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10853"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10853"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10853"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=10853"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}