Talga Group, a company specialising in battery materials and technology, has been selected for a significant grant from the EU Innovation Fund.

This grant is aimed at supporting the commercial-scale Luleå Anode Refinery, which is a key component of Talga's integrated Vittangi Anode Project in Sweden.

The EU grant, amounting to €70m ($75.5m), will contribute to the development of Talga's low-emission natural graphite anode material, Talnode-C.

Talga applied for the grant under the IF23 initiative and successfully secured funding as part of an award to 85 innovative net-zero projects aimed at implementing advanced clean technologies throughout Europe.

The grant is provided by the European Commission, with the chosen projects set to receive a total of €4.8bn from the EU Innovation Fund. The call for projects received 337 applications.

With the grant secured, Talga will now proceed to the 'grant preparation' phase, which involves formalising documentation. The company is expected to sign its grant agreement with the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency by the first quarter of 2025.

This marks a significant step forward for Talga's project, which is poised to establish a vertically integrated mine-to-anode operation.

The Vittangi Anode Project, located in northern Sweden, is set to produce 19,500 tonnes per annum of Talnode-C.

Talga Group CEO Martin Phillips said “This is a fantastic achievement. The grant demonstrates the European Commission’s recognition of the quality of Talga’s project and its ability to support the EU’s innovation and decarbonisation goals.

“The demand for anode material made with natural graphite, an EU critical and strategic raw material, to support Europe’s battery value chain is clearly highlighted in the success of the application.”

Earlier this month, Talga Group secured an exploitation concession for its Nunasvaara South natural graphite mine, part of the Vittangi Anode Project in northern Sweden.