ASX Renewable Energy News: Northvolt wants to produce batteries from Nordic forest wood

Two Nordic companies plan to produce batteries using lignin-based hard carbon from renewable forest wood.

Northvolt is looking to develop the world’s first industrialised battery featuring anodes sourced entirely from European raw materials. Picture: Getty Images

Swedish battery developer Northvolt and Finland-based Stora Enso have joined forces to create sustainable batteries using lignin-based hard carbon produced with renewable wood from Nordic forests.

The aim is to develop the world’s first industrialised battery featuring anode sourced entirely from European raw materials, lowering both the carbon footprint and the cost.

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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.

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.

“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,” Stora Enso executive vice president for biomaterials Johanna Hagelberg says.

“Our lignin-based hard carbon, Lignode, will secure the strategic European supply of anode raw material, serving the sustainable battery needs for applications from mobility to stationary energy storage.”

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ASX renewable energy news

VULCAN ENERGY RESOURCES (ASX:VUL)

Vulcan’s geothermal lithium exploration efforts in Germany have been boosted by approvals from eight local councils for a 3D seismic survey, and the grant of a new exploration licence.

The approvals from the councils across the company’s licence area in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate highlight the strong support for its Zero Carbon Lithium Project, which uses excess geothermal energy to power its lithium chemical process and export additional power to the grid.

Pre-design work for the 3D seismic survey is underway with VUL planning to start the program, which will assist with future development drill planning in its Phase One areas, in September.

The company has also been granted a new exploration licence, increasing the licence area in the Upper Rhine Valley Brine Field by 277km2 to 1440km2.

MONTEM RESOURCES (ASX:MR1)

MR1 has completed the pre-feasibility engineering and design, cost estimates and project economics for the pumped hydro energy storage element of the Tent Renewable Energy Complex (TM-REX) in the Crowsnest Pass of southwest Alberta, Canada.

The company has also wrapped up a business case analysis for the green hydrogen electrolyser element of the TM-REX.

Both of these two studies combined are part of MR1’s wider pre-feasibility study (PFS), which it says demonstrates compelling results, identifying no fatal flaws and strong economics.

The TM-REX development concept includes three primary elements:

• 320 MW/2,560 MWh Pumped Hydro Energy Storage;
• 100 MW Green Hydrogen Electrolyser; and
• 100 MW Wind Farm (offsite).

MR1 CEO Peter Doyle says the company’s conviction to explore an alternate development pathway to the coal mine at Tent Mountain is yielding results.

“We now have a viable alternate investment at Tent Mountain, with the potential for strong returns, and importantly, a social licence to pursue this investment.”

QEM (ASX:QEM)

QEM has published its quarterly Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) report for Q4 FY2022 with disclosures on 21 core metrics set by the World Economic Forum (WEF) in its standardised and globally recognised Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics ESG framework.

Highlights throughout the quarter include reporting on environmental management activities such as aerial drone surveys, baseline ecology and habitat assessments, as well as improved disclosures on stakeholder mapping and consultation – ensuring hard to reach stakeholders and groups are identified and included in community engagement activities.

This content first appeared on stockhead.com.au

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