Methane to power EVs? Bill Gates-backed startup claims battery breakthrough
US-based start-up, Molten Industries, has announced a significant breakthrough in battery technology for electric vehicles (EVs). The company has developed a unique technique to convert methane into graphite, a crucial material for lithium-ion batteries used in EVs. This innovation could potentially establish a robust US supply chain for these key materials, currently dominated by China. The company's work is backed by a $25 million Series A financing round led by Bill Gates's Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV).
Molten Industries's unique pyrolysis process
Molten Industries's technique involves pyrolysis, a process that heats methane until it breaks down into carbon and hydrogen. Unlike other companies that produce soot or carbon black unsuitable for battery production, Molten's method results in battery-grade graphite. The company's reactor uses resistive heating, which is more efficient than microwave or plasma-based heating methods commonly used by other firms. "Our original focus was just to make the lowest-cost hydrogen with the most energy-efficient reactor possible," said Molten Industries's co-founder Kevin Bush.
Commercial-scale unit and future challenges
Molten Industries has already built a pilot reactor in Oakland and is developing a full commercial-scale unit, expected to be operational next year. This unit will be capable of producing 500kg of hydrogen and 1,500kg of graphite daily. However, the future demand for graphite is uncertain as other materials such as lithium, silicon, and hard carbon may begin to compete with it as the default material in battery anodes. This shift could potentially halve demand by 2035, according to BloombergNEF.
