Anthro Energy breaks ground on Kentucky electrolyte factory

Silicon Valley startup Anthro Energy has broken ground on a new factory in Kentucky aimed at addressing gaps in the United States' domestic battery supply chain. Scheduled to begin operations in 2027, the facility is intended to be the first U.S.-owned and operated manufacturer of electrolytes, a critical chemical additive for lithium-ion and other battery chemistries.

Anthro Energy is developing a phase-change electrolyte designed to improve upon current liquid electrolytes, which CEO David Mackanic describes as volatile, flammable, toxic, and corrosive. The company’s technology is intended to function as a drop-in solution for existing battery cell lines. The material is injected into the battery as a liquid and then solidifies into an elastomeric material inside the cell. This approach seeks to combine the benefits of liquid and solid-state electrolytes, offering improved safety, higher power density, and a longer usable life for batteries used in electric vehicles, consumer electronics, and energy storage.