Conductive additives enable a more efficient flow of electricity and extend the lifetime of lithium-ion batteries. The material also plays an essential role in high-voltage cables used for wind and solar farms.

The battery additives produced at the site in La Porte, southeast of Houston, will have only one-tenth of the carbon footprint of other commonly used materials, Orion claims. The acetylene for the additives produced at La Porte will be supplied by a neighboring site owned by Equistar Chemicals, a subsidiary of LyondellBasell.

Orion CEO Corning Painter said: “Our plant in La Porte will be a pivotal step toward strengthening the regional supply of conductive additives in the rapidly growing US battery market.”

According to Orion, key equipment procurement and off-site fabrication for the Pa Porte project are already at an advanced stage and start-up is expected in the second quarter of 2025.