X-BATT and CONSOL Energy subsidiary join hands to develop next-gen clean energy tech.

A pioneer in advanced battery materials, X-BATT has been reimagining lithium-ion batteries through the use of unconventional materials and a method that can rejuvenate spent anode material. To accelerate development of its coal-based anode technology, X-BATT has forged a partnership with CONSOL Innovations LLC to form C-BATT Innovations LLC, a joint venture focused on commercializing domestic battery materials derived from coal.

Founded in 2013, X-MAT, a subsidiary of precision plastic company Semplastics, developed a groundbreaking high-performance material that combines the properties of metal for its electrical conductivity, the lightweight characteristics of plastic, and the potent thermal stability of ceramics.

Overlooked for potential uses other than as a fuel source, coal has long held a negative image for its environmental and physiological harms. However, research over the last decade by X-MAT suggests that the lumps of punishment doled out by Saint Nick may hold secret capabilities never before explored.

By combining powdered raw coal with a proprietary resin, the company successfully developed a material that is extraordinarily lightweight – roughly two times lighter than Teflon – and incredibly heat resistant – has an operating temperature of over 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit (1,100 degrees Celsius) – with no degradation or loss of mass after burning, making its maximum operating temperature roughly two times higher than titanium.

Possessing such incredible properties, X-MAT saw the potential of its coal technology to compete with the critical graphite used as anode material in lithium-ion batteries.

With breakthroughs in battery chemistries as well as designs, Semplastics launched X-BATT in 2019 after successfully employing coal as more than a heavy carbon fuel but as a possible abundant anode material.

Now, with the increasing demand for graphite to fuel a zero-carbon future looming over manufacturers, which has invariably brought attention to the many coal power plants still operating within the U.S., coal has the potential to find a new home inside clean energy systems. As an added bonus, X-BATT's technology can also be used to recycle, possibly reducing the more-than-a-century accumulation of coal waste that lay in heaps throughout the country.

New joint venture

Since 2020, with support from the U.S. Department of Energy, X-BATT has been at the forefront of unconventional material innovation, integrating its proprietary, low-cost, resin-based technology to produce high-performance, domestically sourced coal anode material.

Now, the company has made a move that appears to signal the next phase of its battery technology development – partnering with CONSOL Innovations.

A subsidiary of CONSOL Energy Inc., which has roots back to the earliest days of coal-powered energy production in America, CONSOL Innovations was formed earlier this year to advance the company's technology development efforts.

Perhaps foreseeing the direction coal is heading, CONSOL Energy has taken a smarter approach by adapting to the times. And what better way than to find alternative uses for a resource it uses to power nearly one-third of the nation's power supply.

"We continue to invest in the coal-to-products sector," said CONSOL Innovations Senior Vice President Dan Connell. "This opportunity is focused on coupling abundant domestic raw materials with cutting-edge technology to unlock new sustainable uses for coal, and we are excited to team with X-BATT to pursue it further."

With X-BATT already seeing successes in battery development, even receiving numerous validations from entities like the Battery Innovation Center, the pioneering company's collaboration with CONSOL adds the backing of one of the country's largest energy providers.

With an obvious interest in maintaining coal production, if that coal can be used for clean energy, that's a win-win for both companies.

"Collaborating with a forward-looking energy leader like CONSOL propels our technology to the next level," said X-BATT Founder and CEO Bill Easter. "The ability to supplant graphite with an abundant, domestically sourced coal presents an eco-friendly solution for the growing demand for lithium-ion batteries."

While still early days, this joint venture stands as a testament to the converging forces of innovation and sustainability and is poised to reshape the landscape of energy storage and battery technology.