Carbon-based thermal batteries target round-the-clock cheap energy for US industry

GrafTech International, a major manufacturer of carbon and graphite products, and thermal energy storage company Antora Energy are teaming up to develop carbon-based materials for thermal batteries that can store electricity as heat. The companies will develop and supply the materials at GrafTech’s St. Marys facility in Pennsylvania, where eight bake furnaces have been restarted as part of the collaboration. The key difference from conventional batteries is how Antora stores energy. Its thermal batteries convert low-cost electricity into heat and store it inside insulated blocks of solid carbon. The stored heat can later be delivered as industrial heat or converted back into electricity. This makes the system suited to facilities that need large amounts of energy around the clock. Antora says its factory-built modules can serve chemical plants, food producers, steelmakers, data centers and the grid. Carbon stores industrial heat The carbon blocks and insulation used in the batteries are made by heating lower-purity carbon feedstocks, including petroleum coke and coal tar pitch, in high-temperature furnaces. The approach could create a new market for US carbon materials and industrial byproducts while giving Antora a domestic source for components used in its thermal batteries. GrafTech is expected to use a significant portion of the bake furnace capacity at its St. Marys facility for the collaboration. Eight furnaces have already been restarted, and the companies have hired new workers while planning to add about a dozen more across plant operations, machining and maintenance. “St. Marys has been an important part of GrafTech’s manufacturing footprint since we acquired the facility in 2010, and we are proud to partner with Antora to leverage the facility and our nearly 140 years of experience in carbon and synthetic graphite-based solutions,” said Timothy Flanagan, CEO and president of GrafTech International. The partnership also gives Antora access to carbon materials without relying on supply-constrained critical minerals used by many conventional battery technologies. Antora’s system is designed to store electricity when it is inexpensive and deliver energy later as heat or electricity. This could be useful for industrial operations where heat is a major part of energy demand. The company says its factory-built modules can be deployed across different applications without the multi-year construction timelines associated with some large energy projects. The collaboration follows Antora’s $550 million Series C funding round announced in July. In May, the company announced the commissioning of Project Big Stone in South Dakota, which is already delivering round-the-clock energy to POET, a major US biofuel producer. For GrafTech, the deal provides another use for its carbon and graphite manufacturing capabilities, while Antora gains a domestic source of materials as it works to scale its thermal battery technology. “By partnering with GrafTech to source carbon-based materials from their St. Marys facility, Antora is strengthening our domestic supply chain,” said Andrew Ponec, co-founder and CEO of Antora Energy.The two companies have signed a memorandum of understanding and intend to negotiate definitive agreements for the collaboration. The final agreements remain subject to negotiated terms and conditions.Get the latest in engineering, tech, space & science - delivered daily to your inbox.With over a decade-long career in journalism, Neetika Walter has worked with The Economic Times, ANI, and Hindustan Times, covering politics, business, technology, and the clean energy sector. Passionate about contemporary culture, books, poetry, and storytelling, she brings depth and insight to her writing. When she isn’t chasing stories, she’s likely lost in a book or enjoying the company of her dogs.