Epsilon teams up with Phillips 66 to bolster US battery supply chain

Epsilon Advanced Materials (EAM), an Indian manufacturer of sustainable battery materials, has entered into an Agreement in Principle on Key Terms with US company Phillips 66 for the supply of Green and Calcined Needle Coke from its Lake Charles, Louisiana refinery, according to a media release.

Phillips 66 is a producer of specialty cokes, such as Green and Calcined Needle Coke, which are critical for manufacturing synthetic graphite anodes. This collaboration secures reliable access to the feedstock required for producing graphite active anode material, a core component in lithium-ion batteries for Electric Vehicles (EVs) and Energy Storage Systems (ESS). The material will support EAM’s upcoming 30,000 tons graphite active anode material facility in North Carolina.

“This collaboration is a major step in building a secure and sustainable battery materials supply chain for the US,” said Vikram Handa, Managing Director, Epsilon Advanced Materials. “Phillips 66’s expertise in energy and materials, combined with EAM’s capacity and global presence, will ensure reliable, scalable, and sustainable graphite anode production to power the EV and ESS industries worldwide.” 

EAM’s North Carolina facility will help in scaling graphite active anode materials for sustainable battery production. The project is on track to begin operations with 30,000 tons in 2027 with an expansion plan of 60,000 tons by 2030. Once this facility is fully operational, the facility will be supplying US battery manufacturers and automotive OEMs with enough graphite active anode material for approximately 1 million electric vehicles annually, the media release said.