As battery production scales up to meet soaring demand across energy storage, electric vehicles, and data centers, several major advancements are shaping the industry’s future.
Europe Welcomes Its First LFP Gigafactory
Morrow Batteries has inaugurated Europe’s first gigawatt-scale lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery plant in Norway. The facility, spanning 355,209 square feet, boasts an annual capacity of 1 GWh, capable of producing up to 3 million battery cells for energy storage and heavy-duty mobility applications. The new plant will initially focus on LFP and nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) batteries, with future expansion to include prismatic cells featuring lithium nickel manganese oxide. Morrow aims to enhance battery performance by increasing cycle life by 30% and energy density by 10%, while also reducing cobalt content and nickel use by up to 60% compared to conventional NMC batteries.
Morrow has secured significant supply agreements, including with Nordic Batteries and Eldrift, and has partnered with Stena Recycling to manage scrap from its Norwegian operations.
Natron Energy Expands with a $1.4 Billion Sodium-Ion Battery Gigafactory
In North Carolina, Natron Energy plans to construct a $1.4 billion gigafactory for sodium-ion batteries. This facility will be significantly larger than Natron’s current Michigan plant, scaling up from 600 MW to 24 GW of annual production. The new plant will cater to EV charging, grid storage, and data center backup power. Natron’s sodium-ion batteries, using Prussian blue electrode chemistry, promise faster charging, longer cycle life, and superior power density compared to lithium-ion batteries, while avoiding lithium, cobalt, and nickel.
Electra Battery Materials to Build Cobalt Sulfate Refinery in Canada
Electra Battery Materials has received a $20 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense to support the construction of a $250 million cobalt sulfate refinery in Ontario. The facility will refine 6,500 tonnes of cobalt sulfate annually, contributing to the supply for over a million EVs. LG Energy Solution will purchase 80% of the refinery’s output in the first five years. This project, which will be North America’s first battery-grade cobalt sulfate refinery, aims to reduce dependence on China, which currently dominates the global cobalt supply chain.
Chemours Unveils Innovative Dry Electrode Coating Facility
Chemours has launched a new battery innovation complex in Newark, Delaware, focusing on next-generation lithium-ion battery technologies. The facility will advance Chemours’s dry electrode coating process, which eliminates the need for solvent-based manufacturing, thereby reducing energy consumption by up to 47% and improving battery performance. This dry process involves shear mixing, calendaring, and lamination, resulting in higher loading capacities and shorter production lines compared to traditional wet methods.
These developments signal a pivotal shift in the battery industry, with significant investments and innovations aimed at enhancing production efficiency and meeting growing global demand.