Sunrise New Energy Breaks Ground on 20,000-Ton High-End Graphite Anode Production Line, Accelerating Its Rise as an Industry Leader

Rhea-AI Summary

Sunrise New Energy (NASDAQ:EPOW), a leading graphite anode materials manufacturer, has begun construction of a new 20,000-ton high-end graphite anode production line with a total investment of $64 million. The facility, expected to commence operations in late 2025, is projected to generate $110 million in annual revenue and $16 million in annual profit.

The company has demonstrated strong growth with revenues of $38.13M (2022), $45.05M (2023), and $64.99M (2024), representing YoY growth of 414.57%, 18.16%, and 44.28% respectively. Sunrise expects graphite anode shipments to reach 40,000-50,000 tons in 2025, up from 28,200 tons in 2024.

As one of China's top three graphite anode suppliers for energy storage batteries, Sunrise is expanding capacity to meet increasing demand from lithium-ion battery manufacturers, supported by strong EV sales and energy storage market growth.

Positive

• None.

Negative

• Significant capital expenditure of $64M required for new production line
• Current operations approaching full capacity, indicating potential supply constraints
• Heavy reliance on single market (China) for growth

Insights

Battery Materials Industry Specialist

Sunrise's new $64M production line will boost capacity by 20,000 tons, addressing capacity constraints amid rising demand and potentially adding $110M in annual revenue.

Sunrise's groundbreaking on a $64 million high-end graphite anode production line represents a significant capacity expansion at a critical time. The company is experiencing substantial growth constraints, shipping 28,200 tons in 2024 with expectations to reach 40,000-50,000 tons in 2025 - effectively planning to operate at or near full capacity of their Phase I Guizhou production base.

This 20,000-ton expansion is strategically timed to capitalize on three converging market forces: 1) the robust recovery in lithium battery demand, 2) accelerating energy storage deployment globally, and 3) emerging applications like humanoid robots and aerial vehicles. Particularly notable is the reported 46% increase in procurement guidance from CATL, one of Sunrise's key customers.

The production line's expected contribution of $110 million in annual revenue and $16 million in profit represents a substantial addition to Sunrise's financial performance, which has already shown impressive growth with revenues increasing from $38.13 million in 2022 to $64.99 million in 2024 (44.28% year-over-year growth in the most recent period).

Beyond addressing immediate capacity constraints, this expansion is part of a broader strategic roadmap. Sunrise's Guizhou base has a total planned capacity of 100,000 tons, while their planned Fuyang project adds potential for another 210,000 tons. These expansion capabilities position Sunrise to capitalize on China's energy storage goals, which aim to double installed capacity by 2027 according to the recently released government action plan.

The $0.6 million funding award from the Central-Guided Local Science and Technology Development Fund further validates Sunrise's technological approach and provides additional capital for innovation in synthetic graphite and carbon materials.

ZIBO, China, Sept. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sunrise New Energy Co., Ltd. (“Sunrise”, the “Company”, “we” or “our”) (NASDAQ: EPOW), a leading innovator in graphite anode materials, today announced that it has officially commenced construction of its new 20,000-ton high-end graphite anode material production line. 

This project represents a total planned investment of approximately USD 64 million and is designed for an annual production capacity of 20,000 tons. The facility will incorporate key processes including pre-carbonization, high-temperature carbonization, and automated finished product lines. It marks a critical milestone for Sunrise as it accelerates capacity expansion to meet surging demand from leading lithium-ion battery manufacturers.

Sunrise has experienced explosive growth in recent years, with revenue reaching $38.13 million, $45.05 million, and $64.99 million in 2022, 2023, and 2024 respectively — representing year-over-year growth of 414.57%, 18.16%, and 44.28%. This momentum has been driven by Sunrise’s strategy of leveraging technological innovation to enhance product competitiveness, securing long-term supply contracts with top-tier energy storage and EV battery companies. In particular, the Company has become one of the top three graphite anode suppliers for energy storage batteries in China.

Based on existing orders and market demand, Sunrise expects its graphite anode shipments to reach 40,000–50,000 tons in 2025, up from 28,200 tons in 2024. With its Phase I Guizhou production base designed for 50,000 tons per year, Sunrise anticipates operating at or near full capacity in 2025. The new 20,000-ton line will provide much-needed additional capacity, with operations expected to begin later this year. Upon reaching full production, the new line is expected to contribute approximately USD 110 million in annual revenue and USD 16 million in annual profit, significantly boosting the Company’s earnings.

The lithium battery and energy storage industries are showing signs of robust recovery, fueled by strong EV sales growth, faster-than-expected expansion in global energy storage, and emerging applications such as humanoid robots and low-altitude aerial vehicles. Notably, several securities firms have reported that CATL — a key customer of Sunrise — has raised its 2026 procurement guidance to 1,100 GWh, representing a substantial 46% increase from previous forecasts. Policy support is also accelerating industry growth — notably, the National Development and Reform Commission and National Energy Administration’s recently released “Special Action Plan for Large-Scale Construction of New Energy Storage (2025–2027),” which sets a goal of doubling China’s energy storage installed capacity by 2027.

The launch of Sunrise’s new 20,000-ton high-end graphite anode production line is not only aimed at alleviating the Company’s current capacity constraints amid rapid growth, but also represents a forward-looking strategic move to capitalize on favorable industry trends. This expansion will enable Sunrise to accelerate the release of new capacity and further scale up its market presence.

Sunrise’s lithium-ion battery anode materials base in Qianxinan, Guizhou Province has a total planned capacity of 100,000 tons. Should market demand continue to rise, the Company is well positioned to quickly scale production. In addition, Sunrise’s planned 210,000-ton graphite anode project in Fuyang, Anhui Province has already completed key preparatory steps such as environmental assessments and planning approvals, laying a solid foundation for future capacity expansion. Taken together, these capacity plans underscore Sunrise’s long-term goal of becoming a global leader in the anode materials industry.

Furthermore, Sunrise’s Guizhou base has been recognized as a recipient of the Central-Guided Local Science and Technology Development Fund project and awarded USD 0.6 million in funding, underscoring the Company’s leadership in advanced synthetic graphite and carbon materials innovation.

“With market demand rebounding, capacity expansion underway, and our sustained focus on differentiated product competitiveness, Sunrise is well-positioned to continue its rapid growth trajectory and accelerate toward industry leadership,” said Mr. Haiping Hu, Founder and CEO of the Company.

 About Sunrise New Energy Co., Ltd

Headquartered in Zibo, Shandong Province, China, Sunrise New Energy Co., Ltd., through its joint venture, is engaged in the manufacturing and sale of graphite anode material for lithium-ion batteries. The Company's joint venture has completed the construction of a manufacturing facility with a production capacity of 50,000 tons in Guizhou Province, China. The plant runs on inexpensive electricity from renewable sources, which helps to make Sunrise New Energy a low-cost and low–environmental-impact producer of graphite anode material. Mr. Haiping Hu, the founder and CEO of the Company, is a major pioneer for the graphite anode industry in China starting from 1999. The Company’s management team is also composed of experts with years of experiences and strong track-records of success in the graphite anode industry. In addition, the Company also operates a knowledge sharing platform in China. For further information, please visit the Company’s website at www.sunrisenewenergy.com.

Forward-looking statement

Certain statements in this press release regarding the Company's future expectations, plans and prospects constitute forward-looking statements as defined by Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements about plans, goals, objectives, strategies, future events, expected results, assumptions and any other factual statements that have not occurred. Any words that refer to "may", "will", "want", "should", "believe", "expect", "expect", "estimate", "estimate" or similar non-factual words, shall be regarded as forward-looking statements. Due to various factors, the actual results may differ materially from the historical results or the contents expressed in these forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, the company's strategic objectives, the company's future plans, market demand and user acceptance of the company's products or services, technological updates, economic trends, the company's reputation and brand, the impact of industry competition and bidding, relevant policies and regulations, the ups and downs of China's macroeconomic conditions, the relevant international market conditions, and other related risks and assumptions disclosed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F published on the SEC’s website. In view of the above and other related reasons, we urge investors to visit the SEC’s website and consider other factors that may affect the Company's future operating results. The Company is under no obligation to make public amendments to changes in these forward-looking statements unless required by law.

For more information, please contact:

The Company:

IR Department

Email: IR@sunrisenewenergy.com

Phone: +86 4009919228

FAQ

What is the capacity and investment cost of Sunrise New Energy's (EPOW) new production line?

Sunrise's new production line has a 20,000-ton capacity with a total investment of $64 million. The facility will include pre-carbonization, high-temperature carbonization, and automated finished product lines.

How much revenue growth has Sunrise New Energy (EPOW) achieved in recent years?

Sunrise's revenue grew from $38.13M in 2022 to $45.05M in 2023 and $64.99M in 2024, representing YoY growth of 414.57%, 18.16%, and 44.28% respectively.

What is Sunrise New Energy's (EPOW) expected production volume for 2025?

Sunrise expects its graphite anode shipments to reach 40,000-50,000 tons in 2025, up from 28,200 tons in 2024.

How much additional revenue will EPOW's new production line generate?

The new 20,000-ton production line is expected to contribute approximately $110 million in annual revenue and $16 million in annual profit upon reaching full production.

What is Sunrise New Energy's (EPOW) total planned production capacity?

Sunrise's Guizhou base has a total planned capacity of 100,000 tons, and the company has an additional planned 210,000-ton project in Fuyang, Anhui Province.