Stora Enso has partnered with Altris, a Swedish developer of sodium-ion batteries. The two companies said they aim to further advance the development and commercialization of a sustainable battery value chain in Europe. Together, the two companies will drive the adaptation of Stora Enso’s hard carbon solution Lignode as an anode material in Altris’ sodium-ion battery cells.

Lignode by Stora Enso is a sustainable hard carbon derived from lignin, a product from the manufacturing of pulp, to be used as an anode material in both lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries, Stora Enso said. It serves as a more sustainable alternative to incumbent anode solutions. In addition to its sustainability benefits, lignin makes up 20-30% of a tree, which makes it abundantly available, the company said. Lignin being a product from pulp manufacturing ensures a stable and consistent raw material supply for anode material manufacturing and is developed in Stora Enso’s pilot plant in Kotka, Finland. Stora Enso said it is currently upgrading the plant from a technical point of view.

Today, the significant majority of battery materials are sourced from outside Europe, according to Stora Enso. The companies said the partnership aims to support the establishment of a European battery value chain, fostering the continent’s sustainable electrification. Stora Enso said its European-based operations offer a localized solution that minimizes environmental impact and promotes energy independence.

“Bio-based materials are key to improving the sustainability of battery cells,” Juuso Konttinen, senior vice president & head of biomaterials growth at Stora Enso, said. “With Lignode having the potential to become the most sustainable anode material in the world, this partnership with Altris aligns perfectly with our common commitment to support the ambition of more sustainable electrification.”