Northvolt will partner with Stora Enso to develop batteries that incorporate components produced using wood sourced from forests in the Nordic region.
A joint development agreement between the firms will see them work together on the production of a battery containing an anode made from something called lignin-based hard carbon. An anode is a crucial part of a battery, alongside the cathode and electrolyte.
In a statement Friday, electric vehicle battery maker Northvolt and Stora Enso — which specializes in packaging and paper products, among other things — described lignin as a “plant-derived polymer found in the cell walls of dry-land plants.” According to the companies, trees are made up of 20% to 30% lignin, which functions as a binder.
“The aim is to develop the world’s first industrialized battery featuring [an] anode sourced entirely from European raw materials,” the companies said.
Breaking the plans down, Stora Enso will supply Lignode, which is its lignin-based anode material. Northvolt will focus on cell design, the development of production processes and technology scale-up.
The companies said the Lignode would come from “sustainably managed forests.” Stora Enso says it’s “one of the largest private forest owners in the world.”
