COnovate Wins $1.25M DOE Contract to Scale U.S. Graphite-Alternative Anode Production

MILWAUKEE, WI, UNITED STATES, September 14, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — COnovate today announced it has been awarded a $1.25M development contract by the U.S. Department of Energy ‘Critical Minerals and Materials Accelerator’ Program. Under the 24-month agreement, COnovate will continue scaling U.S. production of its eCOphite anode material, a high-performance alternative to graphite-based anodes in lithium-ion batteries, to support U.S. manufacturing and address operating challenges in battery systems.

“This award is an important step toward qualifying eCOphite material at commercial scale and strengthening a domestic supply battery materials supply chain,” said Craig Rigby, President and CEO of COnovate. “By scaling a graphite-alternative anode material that can integrate with existing manufacturing infrastructure, we are helping customers pursue higher-performing battery systems while reducing dependence on mined critical minerals from overseas”.

The eCOphite solution is designed to address a known challenge in lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery systems: the flat voltage curve that can make state-of-charge harder to estimate across much of the usable range. When used as an additive with existing anodes, the eCOphite material provides a durable voltage reference point and enables existing battery management systems to estimate state-of-charge more accurately and manage packs over their operating life. The result is better system visibility, reduced downtime and warranty risk, and lower costs tied to maintenance and augmentation. The eCOphite material can also be produced domestically from renewable feedstocks, does not require mining, and is designed to drop into existing manufacturing infrastructure.

This work is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation (CMEI) under AMMTO Award Number DE-EE0011730.

About DOE’s ‘Critical Materials Accelerator’ Program

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation (CMEI) is advancing America’s critical materials and minerals supply chains and accelerating next-generation energy technologies to strengthen our nation’s energy security and power our future.