Critical minerals are essential for transitioning to clean energy and transportation. As industries rapidly electrify, the demand for minerals like graphite is projected to grow exponentially, with a global supply deficit of 777,000 tonnes forecasted by 2030, worsening by 2040.
Graphite, making up more than 40% of an electric vehicle (EV) battery’s volume, is crucial. Currently, most graphite comes from China, posing a high supply risk due to geopolitical factors. Diversifying mineral supply chains is essential as we move towards electrifying transportation systems. China’s recent export controls and the planned 25% import tariff in the US highlight the importance of localizing critical minerals like graphite. To address these challenges, alternative materials or biomaterials must be considered.
Three main issues hinder scaling graphite supply chains: overdependence on China, reliance on finite fossil-fuel resources, and potential price hikes for manufacturers and consumers. By 2030, over 90% of battery-grade graphite will come from China, posing a clear risk. Synthetic graphite relies on fossil fuel-based feedstocks and high energy inputs, making costs volatile. Mined graphite depends on natural resources, leading to price uncertainty as mines deplete. Opening new mines is a lengthy, expensive process, often taking more than 12 years in the EU and US, which is not a viable solution.
These challenges could lead to price hikes and supply shortfalls, disrupting the graphite supply chain and affecting EV adoption and transport decarbonization. Thus, there’s a desperate need for a localized, secure supply of critical minerals like graphite.
Vincent Ledoux-Pedailles, the chief commercial officer at CarbonScape, believes biomaterials offer a solution to the instability of traditional supply chains. For example, biographite, made from forestry byproducts, requires less energy and can be produced faster than synthetic graphite. It is a low-cost, locally producible alternative that performs better than mined graphite. Establishing biographite plants is faster and more flexible than mining operations, allowing production near EV battery manufacturing hubs and minimizing transport.
Biographite can eanble local production of biomaterials to create a secure and integrated supply chain of graphite, supporting the transition to clean energy and transport.
A critical question for the sucess of biographite is whether the new solutions and innovations for producing it can scale up and maintain a competitive price compared to fossil based graphite.
See full article on: https://www.edie.net/why-biomaterials-are-key-to-scaling-critical-mineral-supply-chains/
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