Yesterday, a notable shift in the energy landscape was detailed when the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) researchers announced a promising endeavor. They reported the development of two new methods that could transform coal, typically associated with pollution, into graphite, an essential mineral for electric vehicle batteries. This research addresses significant concerns, from the shortage of domestic graphite supplies to the dependency on foreign imports, considering that coal is both abundant and cost-effective in the U.S.
According to a statement made by ORNL, Edgar Lara-Curzio, the project lead said, "We can pivot from using coal to generate electricity to using coal to enable clean energy technologies." He emphasized the triple-fold benefits of the project which span widening the adoption of electric vehicles, enhancing national security by cutting down foreign material reliance, and reviving economies in former coal mining regions. The research draws on comprehensive expertise from a team of engineers and scientists who are working on refining graphite production processes to be economically viable and scalable for manufacturing.
A partnership with the University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research is already in place for the supply of coal and coal waste materials, while an industry partner, Ramaco Carbon, supplies coal for the project with ambitions to commercialize the technology. As Randy Atkins, chairman, and CEO of Ramaco, revealed plans for a pilot production facility, he stated, "We are encouraged by the progress and breakthroughs we’ve made working with ORNL," as noted by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
ORNL's innovative approach, which includes electrochemical processes, does not only end at creating high-quality graphite but also leverages coal waste, thus addressing environmental concerns. Using elevated temperatures and an absence of oxygen, the procedure ensures that coal does not burn, instead producing gases and coal liquids that are further processed into graphite. Eric Wolfe, an engineer at ORNL, said, "The better the quality of graphite, the better battery you’re going to have."
