HEG Ltd, an LNJ Bhilwara group company commemorating its golden 50th year in synthetic graphite manufacturing, has announced plans to invest INR 1000 Cr (appx.) over the next 3 years to set up a manufacturing facility of graphite anode for lithium–ion batteries. The upcoming plant will cater to 10-12 GWh of cell manufacturing capacity and the investment will be executed through its newly incorporated, wholly-owned subsidiary: The Advanced
Carbons Company (TACC).*
The investment, according to HEG, will be made in two phases:
- Phase 1, expected to be operational by 2025 with an investment of INR 1000 Cr
(appx) - In Phase 2, the Company plans to double the capacity with another INR 1000 Cr
(appx)
The Company aims to finish both phases in the next 5-7 years. HEG Limited is likely to create 400 new jobs with this project. The Company plans to play a significant part in making India carbon neutral.
Riju Jhunjhunwala, Vice Chairman, HEG Ltd, said, “With Project TACC our goal is to accelerate India’s push towards green energy, with a primary focus on improved carbon materials that support green energy in addition to graphite anodes. Only China and Japan are the major producers of anode materials at the moment. More than 90% of the market is controlled by businesses in these two nations. The LNJ Bhilwara Group will be making a modest contribution to India’s ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’ project with its investment in anode.”
The Indian government’s PLI scheme mandates 60% domestic value addition for cell production. Anode material produced in the country will be essential in
meeting this requirement. The lithium-ion battery, which makes up 40–50% of the overall cost, is the most expensive part of an electric car. When graphite anodes are made
available in India, the cost of cell production will decrease. It’ll also help in
advancing India’s green energy goals and achieve net zero emissions by 2070.
India would need batteries with a capacity of about 60 GWh by 2025, and 260 GWh
by 2030, according to government estimates. India is one of the most promising
markets for anodes, and the global opportunities continue to be a desirable route.
Globally, the anticipated rise is considerably greater, and by 2030, it’s estimated that
more than 3300 GWh of yearly manufacturing of li-b cells will be in vogue.