Stora Enso and Northvolt Partner to Develop Wood-Based Batteries

Stora Enso will provide its lignin-based anode material Lignode, while Northvolt will drive cell design, production process development and scale-up of the technology.

July 25, 2022 - Stora Enso and Northvolt have entered into a Joint Development Agreement to create sustainable batteries using lignin-based hard carbon produced with renewable wood from the Nordic forests. The aim is to develop the world's first industrialized battery featuring anode sourced entirely from European raw materials, lowering both the carbon footprint and the cost.

Northvolt is a European supplier of sustainable, high-quality battery cells and systems.

"The joint battery development with Northvolt marks a step on our journey to serve the fast-growing battery market with renewable anode materials made from trees," said Johanna Hagelberg, Executive Vice President for Biomaterials at Stora Enso. "Our lignin-based hard carbon, Lignode® by Stora Enso, will secure the strategic European supply of anode raw material, serving the sustainable battery needs for applications from mobility to stationary energy storage."

Both companies bring key components, competence, and expertise to the battery partnership. Stora Enso will provide its lignin-based anode material Lignode, originating from sustainably managed forests, while Northvolt will drive cell design, production process development and scale-up of the technology.

Emma Nehrenheim, Chief Environmental Officer at Northvolt, said, "With this partnership, we are exploring a new source of sustainable raw material and expanding the European battery value chain, while also developing a less expensive battery chemistry. It is an exciting demonstration of how our pursuit of a sustainable battery industry goes hand-in-hand with creating a positive impact both on society and cost."

Lignin is a plant-derived polymer found in the cell walls of dry-land plants. Trees are composed of 20-30% of lignin, where it acts as a natural and strong binder. It is one of the biggest renewable sources of carbon anywhere.

Stora Enso's pilot plant for bio-based carbon materials is located at the Group's Sunila production site in Finland, where lignin has been industrially produced since 2015. The annual lignin production capacity is 50,000 tonnes, making Stora Enso the largest kraft lignin producer in the world.

The Group is also evaluating its first industrial production of Lignode at the Sunila site through a feasibility study.

Stora Enso is a leading global provider of renewable solutions in packaging, biomaterials, wooden constructions and paper. The company has some 23,000 employees and sales in 2020 were EUR 8.6 billion. To learn more, visit: www.storaenso.com.

SOURCE: Stora Enso