Rain Industries , through its wholly-owned subsidiary Rain Carbon Canada Inc. (RAINCA), has secured C$860,000 (approximately €530,000) in funding for a groundbreaking research and development project focused on creating eco-friendly battery anode materials. This initiative, in collaboration with Northern Graphite Corporation, aims to transform graphite by-products into high-quality materials for battery applications.

Project Details

The two-year project, with a total cost of C$2.2 million, is supported by the Canada-Germany Collaborative Industrial Research and Development Program. Key aspects of the initiative include:

Collaborative Efforts

The project leverages the strengths of both Rain Industries and Northern Graphite:

• Northern Graphite: Will supply natural graphite feedstock from its operations in Canada and Namibia, applying advanced sizing, shaping, and purification techniques.
• Rain Industries: Will contribute advanced conversion processes and its proprietary LIONCOAT® carbon coating technology, while leading electrochemical performance testing.

Environmental and Economic Impact

This research initiative aligns with the principles of the circular economy and aims to:

1. Increase milling and shaping yield by upcycling byproduct fine fractions
2. Reduce waste and minimize the need for additional mining
3. Significantly reduce the carbon footprint per kilogram of battery material
4. Improve the conversion rate of flake graphite into battery anode material

Strategic Implications

For Rain Industries, this project serves as a strategic catalyst that:

• Accelerates product development
• Shortens time-to-market cycles
• Enhances technical capabilities in processing battery-grade carbon precursor materials

The collaboration positions both companies to deliver a competitive Western supply chain alternative for the energy storage market, aligning with global efforts to develop sustainable and efficient battery technologies.

As the demand for high-performance battery materials continues to grow, particularly in the electric vehicle and renewable energy sectors, this research project could play a crucial role in advancing eco-friendly and efficient battery production technologies.

Rain Industries , through its subsidiary Rain Carbon Canada Inc., has announced a strategic partnership with Green Graphite Technologies Inc. (GGT) to develop sustainable graphite anode active materials (GAAMs) for lithium-ion batteries. This collaboration, supported by a Sustainable Manufacturing Challenge grant from Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGen), aims to establish a circular supply chain for critical battery materials to support Canada's rapidly growing zero-emission vehicle market.

Partnership Objectives

The partnership between Rain Carbon Canada and GGT focuses on leveraging innovative recycling, purification, and manufacturing processes to create a sustainable supply chain for graphite. This initiative aligns with the industry's transformation towards electromobility and stationary battery energy storage required for renewable electricity generation.

Market Opportunity

Canada's zero-emission vehicle market is projected to experience significant growth:

This substantial increase in demand underscores the need for sustainably sourced battery materials, which this partnership aims to address.

Technological Contributions

The collaboration brings together complementary technologies from both companies:

1. Rain Carbon will lead the conversion of feedstock materials using its LIONCOAT® carbon precursor materials and application process technology.
2. GGT will contribute its proprietary GraphPure™ and GraphRenew™ purification technologies.

Production Facilities

The project will utilize multiple facilities across Canada:

• Rain Carbon's Hamilton, Ontario location: Primary base for pilot-scale production and testing
• GGT's pilot facilities in Kingston, Ontario, and Montreal, Quebec: Support for purification activities
• GGT's planned larger-scale demo facility in Mississauga, Ontario: Production of larger quantities starting in 2026

Expected Impacts by 2030

The partnership has set ambitious goals aligned with NGen's mission:

1. Development of two new graphite product lines
2. Implementation of manufacturing processes designed to:
   • Reduce process waste
   • Increase production efficiency
   • Reduce carbon footprint
3. Generation of new intellectual property and technical expertise
4. Creation of employment opportunities across the battery materials sector

About the Companies

Rain Carbon Canada Inc. is a subsidiary of Rain Carbon Inc., a global supplier of carbon-based and chemical products. Rain Industries, the parent company, is listed on both the BSE and NSE in India.

Green Graphite Technologies Inc. (GGT) is commercializing its patented purification technology to produce battery-grade graphite from mined and recycled sources. GGT's technology promises 50% lower operating costs compared to traditional methods and an 82% reduction in carbon footprint versus China-produced anode active materials.

This partnership represents a significant step towards establishing a sustainable and circular economy for battery materials in Canada, supporting the country's transition to a zero-emission future while potentially creating new opportunities in the growing battery materials sector.