Close Menu
Energy NewsEnergy News
  • NEWS
    • Breaking News
    • Hydrogen
    • Energy Storage
    • Grid
    • SMR
    • Projects
    • Production
    • Transport
    • Research
  • SPOTLIGHT
    • Interviews
    • Face 2 Face
    • Podcast
    • Webinars
    • Analysis
    • Columnists
    • Reviews
    • Events
  • REGIONAL
    • Africa
    • Americas
    • Asia
    • Europe
    • Middle east
    • Pacific
  • COMMUNITY
  • ABOUT
    • Advisory Board
    • Contact us
    • Report Your News
    • Advertize
    • Subscribe
LinkedIn X (Twitter) YouTube Facebook
Trending
  • South Korea’s Largest Hydrogen-Only Fuel Cell Plant Begins Operation in Ulsan
  • Ingeteam Commissions Castilla y León’s First Green Hydrogen Plant
  • Norway’s Karmsund Hydrogen Project to Begin Operations in 2028
  • ITM Power Bets on ‘Hydrogen-as-a-Service’ with New German Subsidiary Hydropulse
  • Greece Weighs Hydrogen Ambitions Against Power Costs and Lack of Subsidies
  • Teesside to Anchor £96M Pipeline Push as Ofgem Backs East Coast Hydrogen Network
  • RIC Energy Secures Site for 220MW Hydrogen-Based E-Fuels Project in Castilla y León
  • ITM Power Gets FEED Contract for Uniper’s Humber H2ub
LinkedIn X (Twitter) YouTube Facebook
Energy NewsEnergy News
  • NEWS
    • Breaking News
    • Hydrogen
    • Energy Storage
    • Grid
    • SMR
    • Projects
    • Production
    • Transport
    • Research
  • SPOTLIGHT
    • Interviews
    • Face 2 Face
    • Podcast
    • Webinars
    • Analysis
    • Columnists
    • Reviews
    • Events
  • REGIONAL
    • Africa
    • Americas
    • Asia
    • Europe
    • Middle east
    • Pacific
  • COMMUNITY
  • ABOUT
    • Advisory Board
    • Contact us
    • Report Your News
    • Advertize
    • Subscribe
Energy NewsEnergy News
Home Home - Energy Storage
Graphite

Graphite: Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities

Anela DoksoBy Anela Dokso10/02/20253 Mins Read
Share
LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email WhatsApp Telegram

Graphite’s pivotal role in the battery market is steadily garnering attention due to its intrinsic chemical properties and market dynamics. As battery demand globally nears 1.1 to 1.2 terawatt-hours by 2024, the implications for the graphite market are profound, especially within the burgeoning electric vehicle (EV) sector.

In China alone, the EV market conquered a 40% year-over-year sales increase, albeit driven largely by plug-in hybrid vehicles rather than their pure battery electric counterparts. Outside China, particularly in Europe, the cessation of subsidies in countries like Germany dampened battery electric vehicle sales. Meanwhile, the energy storage segment experienced robust growth supported by escalating renewable energy projects and favorable market conditions in the United States.

The battery market is advancing at a more accelerated pace than steel, a key indicator that by the end of 2025, graphite demand from the battery sector will exceed that of the steel industry, affirming graphite’s integral value to both the global automotive and energy storage segments. However, this growth is not without its challenges. Emerging technologies like pure silicon anodes, sodium-ion (Na-ion) batteries, and solid-state batteries pose significant threats to the long-standing reliance on graphite. Despite these innovations, graphite continues to hold a prime position in the supply chain due to its benefits. Silicon, while boasting a higher specific capacity than graphite, faces instability issues during charge cycles. Na-ion technology, driven by safety and cost factors amidst lithium price hikes, emerges as a viable alternative, yet it remains dependent on fluctuating lithium prices.

The tactical positioning of graphite as an energy resource is further complicated by its geopolitical dimensions. With China dominating around 95% of the global supply of graphite anodes and nearly holding the entirety of the world’s graphitisation capacity, dependence on Chinese resources is almost unavoidable for the Western battery industry. This power dynamic prompts Western nations to consider protectionist policies such as tariffs and subsidies to nurture their domestic industries.

The synthetic and natural graphite supply dynamics are predominantly steered by China’s formidable production capacity. In synthetic markets, Chinese producers have managed to reduce costs by optimizing feedstock selection and processing efficiencies, fortifying their substantial market share. This strategy has also led to increased supplier competition within China itself, as numerous tier-2 and tier-3 firms strive for lucrative contracts amid the dominance of key players like BTR, Shanshan, and Putailai. Cost reduction measures include lowering feedstock costs and in-housing graphitization, developments that have strained Western graphite producers who struggle to compete against China’s vertically integrated structures.

The strategic role of oil companies in the graphite value chain presents additional dimensions as these firms leverage their existing assets to produce needle coke—an essential component in synthetic graphite production. Entities like ExxonMobil are actively exploring this opportunity, aligning their operations with broader trends in the battery supply chain. Similarly, national developments such as the Inflation Reduction Act in the United States offer substantial subsidies, which act as a counterbalance against the competitive pricing of Chinese graphite imports and support domestic producers.

Looking ahead, burgeoning opportunities exist for Western stakeholders to recalibrate market strategies, considering innovations in graphitization technology and new partnerships, particularly with graphite electrode manufacturers. While the short-term outlook involves navigating tariff landscapes and geopolitical influences, long-term demand for graphite is poised to rise as global energy transition efforts continue to expand.

energy storage
Share. LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email

Related Posts

Hydrogen

South Korea’s Largest Hydrogen-Only Fuel Cell Plant Begins Operation in Ulsan

25/06/2025
Hydrogen

Ingeteam Commissions Castilla y León’s First Green Hydrogen Plant

25/06/2025
hydrogen

Norway’s Karmsund Hydrogen Project to Begin Operations in 2028

25/06/2025
hydrogen

ITM Power Bets on ‘Hydrogen-as-a-Service’ with New German Subsidiary Hydropulse

25/06/2025
hydrogen

Greece Weighs Hydrogen Ambitions Against Power Costs and Lack of Subsidies

25/06/2025
hydrogen

Teesside to Anchor £96M Pipeline Push as Ofgem Backs East Coast Hydrogen Network

24/06/2025
Hydrogen

South Korea’s Largest Hydrogen-Only Fuel Cell Plant Begins Operation in Ulsan

25/06/2025
Hydrogen

Ingeteam Commissions Castilla y León’s First Green Hydrogen Plant

25/06/2025
hydrogen

Norway’s Karmsund Hydrogen Project to Begin Operations in 2028

25/06/2025
hydrogen

ITM Power Bets on ‘Hydrogen-as-a-Service’ with New German Subsidiary Hydropulse

25/06/2025

Subscribe to Updates

Get the latest news from the hydrogen market subscribe to our newsletter.

LinkedIn X (Twitter) Facebook YouTube

News

  • Inteviews
  • Webinars
  • Hydrogen
  • Spotlight
  • Regional

Company

  • Advertising
  • Media Kits
  • Contact Info
  • GDPR Policy

Subscriptions

  • Subscribe
  • Newsletters
  • Sponsored News

Subscribe to Updates

Get the latest news from EnergyNewsBiz about hydrogen.

© 2025 EnergyNews.biz
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Accessibility

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.