Sectors · Batteries
How a grid battery is made
A grid battery is racks of cells, each a sandwich of cathode, separator and anode soaked in electrolyte, wrapped in copper and aluminum foil and sealed. Behind the cathode and anode sit refined lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese and graphite, and behind those the mines.
Battery chains concentrate in a few countries at the refining and active-material steps, which is exactly where the ownership rules bite. Knowing who makes each layer is the difference between a credit and a write-off.
Open the battery mapThe parts, opened up
Drag to turn · click a part
- 1CathodeThe positive electrode material coated onto aluminum foil.104 makers
- 2AnodeGraphite coated onto copper foil, the negative electrode.254 makers
- 3SeparatorThe porous film between the electrodes.37 makers
- 4ElectrolyteThe lithium salt solution that carries ions between the electrodes.21 makers
- 5Current collectorsThe metal foils the electrodes are coated on.31 makers
- 6Assembled cellElectrodes, separator and electrolyte sealed into a cell.162 makers
The whole chain, step by step
Ends inBESS IntegrationInstallation
Switching a variant shows the upstream steps unique to that cell chemistry and hides the ones that don't apply. One shared graph, filtered. Links are shareable.
Anode material: both routes (Natural (spherical) graphite and Synthetic graphite) are shown together below rather than as a second switch: they diverge upstream of the cell but share everything downstream.
Raw material: the trail reaches the ground Not traced yet: there is more upstream
Mineral Extraction
Lithium Extraction
raw materialLithium recovered from hard-rock spodumene mines, brine evaporation ponds, or emerging Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) techniques.
Nickel Mining
raw materialClass 1 (battery-grade) nickel from sulfide ores or laterite ores. Laterite typically requires HPAL processing downstream.
Cobalt Mining
raw materialCobalt is largely a by-product of copper and nickel mining. DRC dominates global supply; ASM (artisanal) exposure is a major sourcing concern.
Natural Graphite Mining
raw materialNatural flake graphite mined primarily in China, Madagascar, Mozambique. Feedstock for anode-grade spherical graphite.
Refining & Salts
Lithium Carbonate & Hydroxide
Concentrates and brines converted to battery-grade lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide — the lithium feed to cathode active material and to downstream lithium salts.
Lithium Salts (LiPF6)
Battery-grade lithium salts, chiefly LiPF6, made from lithium carbonate/hydroxide.
Nickel Sulfate
HPAL and sulfate production yield battery-grade nickel sulfate for cathode precursors.
Cobalt Sulfate
Cobalt refined to battery-grade cobalt sulfate for cathode precursors.
Manganese Refining
not traced yetHigh-purity manganese sulfate monohydrate (HPMSM) for NMC cathode precursors. Capacity is highly concentrated in China.
Needle Coke & Pitch
not traced yetPetroleum needle coke and coal-tar pitch, the precursors graphitized into synthetic graphite anode.
Active Materials
Precursor (pCAM)
Precursor cathode active material (pCAM): co-precipitated nickel-cobalt-manganese hydroxide that feeds CAM producers.
Cathode Active Materials (CAM)
Finished cathode active material — NMC, NCA and LFP powders — made from precursor (or iron phosphate for LFP) plus lithium.
Iron Phosphate Materials
not traced yetIron phosphate feedstock for LFP cathode active material.
Spherical (Natural) Graphite Anode
Natural flake graphite purified and spheroidized into anode-grade material.
Synthetic Graphite Anode
Needle coke and pitch graphitized at high temperature into synthetic graphite anode.
Sodium-Ion Materials
not traced yetSodium-ion cathode materials (layered oxide / Prussian white).
Cell Components
Separator
not traced yetMicroporous polyolefin film (wet or dry process) separating anode from cathode. Ceramic-coated variants improve thermal stability.
Electrolyte
Lithium salt (LiPF6) dissolved in organic carbonates. Custom additive packages tune performance for each cell chemistry.
Binders
not traced yetPVDF or aqueous binders that hold electrode coatings together.
Conductive Additives
not traced yetCarbon black and carbon-nanotube (CNT) additives that provide electrode conductivity.
Copper Foil
not traced yetThin copper foil (≤6 µm) that serves as the anode current collector.
Aluminum Foil
not traced yetAluminum foil that serves as the cathode current collector.
Nickel Foil
not traced yetNickel foil / tab material used in some cell formats.
Cell Manufacturing
Cell Manufacturing
Coating, calendering, slitting, winding/stacking, formation. NMC and LFP dominate; sodium-ion and solid-state are scaling.
Pack & System
Module & Pack Assembly
Cells grouped into modules and packs with BMS, thermal management, and structural housing. CTP (cell-to-pack) reduces parts count.
BESS Integration
Container-scale integration of packs with fire suppression, HVAC, and controls. Sold as turnkey utility-scale systems.
Installation
Site preparation, mechanical mounting, and grid interconnection that deliver installed storage capacity.
MV Transformers
not traced yetMedium-voltage step-up transformers connecting the storage plant to the grid. Plant-level balance-of-system; feeds installation.
Plant Controls & PCS
not traced yetStorage balance-of-system: power conversion systems (PCS), EMS/BMS and plant controllers that condition and coordinate the batteries. Feeds installation.