USA Rare Earth makes first commercial yttrium metal as rare-earth buildout advances
USA Rare Earth said on April 15, 2026, that it completed its first commercial yttrium metal production, adding a new industrial material to its expanding rare-earth platform.
Sparc, HydroGraph strike coatings pact to push graphene additive into solvent-based corrosion testing
Sparc Technologies and HydroGraph have signed a letter of intent to test HydroGraph’s Fractal Graphene in solvent-based protective coatings, after earlier water-based trials showed positive performance benefits. The move opens a path to a definitive commercial supply agreement if ISO 12944 corrosion testing delivers the expected results.
Meta reserves 100 GWh from Noon Energy in push for 100-hour storage at data centers
Meta has agreed to reserve up to 1 GW and 100 GWh of Noon Energy’s ultra-long-duration energy storage, beginning with a 25 MW/2.5 GWh project scheduled for completion by 2028. The deal gives one of the clearest signals yet that data-center developers are looking beyond conventional batteries for multi-day firm power.
DOE opens $500 million battery materials funding round as U.S. race to localize supply chain intensifies
The U.S. Energy Department has reopened a $500 million battery materials grant round aimed at domestic processing, recycling and component manufacturing, with full applications due April 24, 2026. The program targets commercial and demonstration-scale facilities that can reduce dependence on imported critical minerals and battery inputs.
Black Swan Graphene expands UK output above 140 tonnes a year as manufacturing scale-up advances
Black Swan Graphene says commissioning of a large-scale production system at its Consett, United Kingdom facility has lifted annual output capacity beyond 140 tonnes, a significant step for a sector where scale-up remains a central hurdle.
SWFT Labs sets April 23 launch for first cellulose nanomaterials product as it moves into commercialization
SWFT Labs says its first commercial cellulose nanomaterials product will launch on April 23, marking a key commercialization step for a Stony Brook-developed platform based on scalable cellulose nanofibers.