C-BATT advances Obsidia™ anode material to strengthen U.S. military readiness and American energy independence

According to federal energy forecasts, battery storage grid additions are expected to surpass those of wind and natural gas combined in 2025. Yet nearly all advanced battery storage entering the grid today depends on Chinese-supplied graphite, a strategic vulnerability directly impacting both national security and domestic energy independence.

The U.S. military faces this pressure firsthand. American soldiers currently carry an average of 21 pounds of batteries during a standard 72-hour mission, according to the U.S. Army’s Office of the Chief of Public Affairs—a growing burden as electronics and energy demands rise across the battlefield.

“The U.S. military just put in an order for 1 million drones, and each one of those will use a battery ,” said Bill Easter, CEO of C-BATT. “As batteries become foundational to both defense and energy infrastructure, American independence in anode materials becomes more important than ever. We are confronting the reality that China currently dominates the global supply chain for battery-grade graphite, and we are working relentlessly to change that.”

With the global landscape shifting and batteries taking on broader, mission-critical roles, C-BATT is positioning Obsidia™—a next-generation anode material—as a direct response to the urgent need for a lighter, higher-performing and fully American-sourced alternative designed to support national security and reduce U.S. reliance on foreign supply chains. Obsidia™ will be available for sampling in 2026, with manufacturing scale-up underway.

Obsidia™ is engineered to strengthen national security by reducing U.S. reliance on foreign sources while delivering a measurable step-change in capability. With higher energy density than traditional graphite, Obsidia™ has the potential to extend mission duration, reduce battery weight burdens on soldiers, and enhance operational flexibility for defense applications. Obsidia also provides a clear path to reduce a critical infrastructure supply chain vulnerability in grid batteries by displacing Chinese graphite and increasing American energy independence and resilience.

These advancements are supported by a fully domestic supply chain and simplified manufacturing process, delivering what C-BATT describes as a “direct answer to global vulnerabilities” in critical battery materials.

“C-BATT continues to advance Obsidia™ toward broad availability as part of its mission to secure the domestic supply chain for next-generation battery materials,” Easter adds. “We see this progress as foundational not only for military readiness but also for America’s long-term energy resilience.”

For more information on C-BATT, visit www.cbattmaterials.com.

About C-BATT
Founded in 2023, C-BATT is a joint venture between X-BATT®, a pioneer in advanced battery materials, and CONSOL Innovations. C-BATT is developing ObsidiaTM to help solve the ongoing supply chain challenges driven by the electrification movement. C-BATT’s solution improves battery energy density and cycle life beyond what traditional materials can offer. The C-BATT battery lab is in Oviedo, FL, just outside the University of Central Florida. For battery materials development, C-BATT will use CONSOL Innovations’ domestically sourced carbon resources. To learn more about Obsidia™ and C-BATT’s U.S.-based energy solutions, visit www.cbattmaterials.com.

About X-BATT®
Established in 2019, X-BATT® focuses on leveraging its patented technology for high-capacity, low-cost, scalable lithium-ion battery components and provides customized, cutting-edge solutions that will allow the renewable energy future to be fully realized. www.x-battinc.com

About CONSOL Innovations
CONSOL Innovations LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Core Natural Resources, Inc., is dedicated to creating long-term value through sustainable innovations in carbon products, carbon materials, and carbon management markets. With a mission to “Reimagine Carbon for a Sustainable Future,” CONSOL Innovations is founded on the belief that our abundant carbon resources, which have fueled human progress since the Industrial Revolution, can also serve as an important building block for meeting the critical and evolving needs of society going forward. The company, with primary operations in Triadelphia, WV, is focused on providing disruptive, carbon-based solutions for growing industries including aerospace, building products, and energy storage. https://corenaturalresources.com/sustainability/consol-innovations/