CO₂ Value Europe member UP Catalyst has announced plans to expand its production of sustainable graphite and carbon nanotubes in Oulu, Finland, through a new collaboration with Finnish energy company Oulun Energia.

The companies have signed a Letter of Intent to explore the utilisation of captured CO₂ emissions from one of Oulun Energia’s facilities as a feedstock for the production of advanced carbon materials. The planned facility, targeted to become operational in 2031, would produce approximately 20,000 tonnes of battery-grade graphite and carbon nanotubes annually.

The initiative highlights the growing role of Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) technologies in transforming captured carbon into high-value products that support Europe’s industrial and climate ambitions.

Using its proprietary molten salt electrolysis technology, UP Catalyst converts captured CO₂ into battery-grade graphite and carbon nanotubes—materials that are essential for batteries, e-mobility applications, and other strategic industrial sectors.

By creating value from industrial emissions, the project demonstrates how captured carbon can become a resource for manufacturing critical materials while contributing to more circular and resilient industrial value chains.

The planned expansion comes at a time when Europe is seeking to strengthen domestic supply chains for critical raw materials and reduce dependencies on imports.

Producing graphite from captured CO₂ offers an innovative pathway to support both industrial competitiveness and the development of sustainable carbon-based value chains. The project illustrates how CCU technologies can contribute not only to climate objectives, but also to Europe’s broader goals of resource security and industrial resilience.

UP Catalyst’s plans represent another important step towards the commercial deployment of carbon utilisation technologies in Europe. The project showcases how collaboration between technology developers, energy providers, and public stakeholders can help scale innovative CCU solutions and unlock new markets for captured carbon.

As the sector continues to mature, initiatives such as this reinforce the growing potential of CCU to transform industrial emissions into valuable products while supporting Europe’s transition towards a circular carbon economy.

Read the full Press Release here.