Green Graphite Technologies Inc., in collaboration with Rain Carbon Canada Inc., has completed a project to advance production of coated spherical purified graphite, a critical material for lithium-ion batteries. The announcement was made on April one, 2026, from Hamilton, Ontario, and the work focused on materials for electric vehicles, micromobility and energy storage systems. The project was supported by the Government of Ontario through the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network.

OVIN provided CA$682,000 towards a total project value of CA$2.05 million (mn), enabling pilot-scale development. The project addresses a domestic supply gap as over 90 per cent of battery-grade graphite is currently sourced from China. North American original equipment manufacturers and battery cell makers are seeking a secured domestic supply with lower carbon intensity at comparable cost.

The collaboration combined GGT's patented purification technology with RAIN's expertise in carbon precursors, processing and coating to transform three sources of graphite at pilot scale: natural flake graphite, graphite from end-of-life batteries and graphite from gigafactory production scrap. The transformed materials were tested to industry standard methods to assess performance for use in EV batteries. The project also validated a technoeconomic analysis model of the process.

Successful results have enabled construction of the first phase of a demonstration plant in Mississauga, Ontario, which is expected to be operational early next month. The plant will aim to produce coated spherical purified graphite and other high-purity graphite products for qualification with battery cell manufacturers. The companies indicated that the demonstration phase is a step towards a commercial graphite plant targeted for operation in 2029.

OVIN and the Ontario Centre of Innovation were described as providing strategic support to strengthen domestic supply chains and accelerate electric mobility adoption. Company representatives noted that home-grown innovation and partnerships are key to closing supply chain gaps and advancing sustainable manufacturing of anode active materials. The collaboration is positioned to support the onshoring of midstream processing for North American lithium-ion battery manufacturers.