The US Department of Energy has selected US-based graphite processing technology developer Urbix to enter negotiations to award $125 million in funding from the Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply to advance construction of its graphite production facility.
The funding, provided under the government's Dual Infrastructure Act, aims to increase the domestic production of lithium-ion batteries for EVs and other applications. Urbix's manufacturing facility in Muscle Shoals, Alabama will produce high-quality Coated Spherical Purified Graphite (CSPG) for US-based battery manufacturers. The facility will initially operate one commercial module capable of producing approximately 10,000 tons of CSPG per year, and may add additional modules in the future.
The company's long-term goal is to build strategically located commercial projects across the US to strengthen CSPG supply chains and reduce reliance on international competitors for valuable processed minerals.
“We are committed to using this grant to accelerate the development of our facility which serves as the first step in providing a strong and secure network of premium graphite anode material that is important to the industry's needs,” said Nico Cuevas. , founder and CEO of Urbix.
Source: Urbix