The Finnish forestry and biomaterials giant Stora Enso has entered into a cooperation agreement with the Chinese anode manufacturer Shanshan Technology to establish a demonstration production line in the Chinese city of Ningbo. This line will test at an industrial scale the Stora Enso-developed Lignode (hard carbon), which is derived from lignin and is intended for next-generation sodium-ion (Na-ion) batteries, which are increasingly being used in energy storage and electric transport.
Although the CEO of Stora Enso was still positioning this material in 2024 as a European alternative to Chinese supply chains, company representatives point out that partnering with an experienced Chinese manufacturer is a necessary step to accelerate the development of the technology. The long-term goal, however, remains the production of this material in Europe.
Background and context of the project
The development of the Lignode material and wood-based anodes has gone through several stages:
· Initial steps and pilot plant (2021): Stora Enso began producing Lignode in 2021 at its research and pilot plant in Sunila (Sunila) in southern Finland.
· Structural changes (2023-2024): In 2023, the Sunila plant ceased pulp and lignin production, although the company retained the pilot plant. To secure raw materials for the future, Stora Enso signed an agreement in 2024 with the Swedish forest owners' association Södra for the supply of lignin, starting in 2027.
· Financial challenges: The company's management previously estimated that establishing a demonstration-level plant in Europe would require approximately 100 million euros, while a “full-scale” commercial plant would require several hundred million euros, for which the company has not yet made a final investment decision.
· Parallel wood graphite project: This is not the only Stora Enso investment in battery materials. The company has invested 18 million US dollars in the New Zealand start-up CarbonScape, which produces wood-derived graphite for lithium-ion batteries. The world's largest battery manufacturer CATL (also from China) is also involved in this project, testing CarbonScape at a demonstration level in its factories, with the aim of launching commercial production in Europe by the end of the decade to reduce dependence on traditional Chinese graphite.
Chemical basis and operating principle
Both technologies operate on a similar principle, where energy is moved by ions travelling between the positive and negative poles of the battery. The main difference lies in the working element. Lithium-ion batteries use lithium, the atoms of which are small and light, allowing for the creation of very compact batteries. Sodium-ion batteries, by contrast, use sodium—an element found in common table salt. Because sodium ions are physically larger and heavier than lithium ions, they require a different internal battery structure.
Availability of raw materials and costs
The greatest advantage of sodium is its unlimited availability and low price; it is one of the most common elements on Earth and can be obtained from sea salt. Lithium, by contrast, is relatively rare and expensive, and its extraction is concentrated in only a few regions of the world, which creates political and economic risks. Furthermore, the production of sodium batteries does not require the use of expensive and “problematic” metals such as cobalt or nickel, and cheaper aluminium can be used for internal contacts instead of expensive copper. All of the above makes sodium technology much more financially advantageous.
Energy density and efficiency
Lithium-ion technology remains the clear leader in terms of energy density. This means that a lithium battery is capable of storing much more energy in a smaller volume and weight. Sodium batteries of the same capacity will be physically larger and heavier; however, sodium ions have a huge advantage—they are exceptionally resistant to the cold. While lithium batteries rapidly lose capacity and charging speed in freezing temperatures, sodium batteries are able to operate and charge effectively even at -20 °C.
Safety and logistics
Sodium-ion batteries are structurally more stable and safer. They have a significantly lower risk of spontaneous combustion or thermal runaway in the event of damage. Sodium batteries can be fully discharged during transport, making them completely safe to ship, whereas lithium batteries must not be fully discharged, as this would permanently damage their structure.
The role of wood-based anodes (Lignode) in this system
In traditional lithium batteries, graphite is used in the anode section, where small lithium ions easily penetrate. Sodium ions do not “fit” into the structure of standard graphite. For sodium batteries to function efficiently, so-called hard carbon with an irregular and porous structure is needed. This is where Stora Enso’s innovation comes into play—Lignode, created from wood lignin, provides an ideal “sponge” structure for large sodium ions, allowing for a move away from importing fossil-based graphite.
Where is each one used?
Due to their physical properties, these technologies complement one another:
· Lithium-ion batteries will continue to dominate in smartphones, computers, and premium-class electric vehicles, where low weight and maximum range on a single charge are of critical importance.
· Sodium-ion batteries are becoming the standard for stationary energy storage (batteries for solar and wind parks), where weight is not an issue, as well as for small, low-cost city electric vehicles and electric scooters.
Two parallel struggles are currently taking place in the world’s forestry sector: one for future green technologies, and another for saving forests from organised crime.
1. Batteries from wood – Finnish-Chinese cooperation
The Finnish company Stora Enso has invented a way to create material for battery anodes from lignin. This allows for the production of a new type of sodium-ion battery. They work on the basis of common salt, are cheap, non-flammable, and perform excellently in the cold, making them an ideal solution for domestic batteries and low-cost electric vehicles.
Although the Finns initially hoped to produce this material in Europe to reduce dependence on Asia, starting production at an industrial scale requires massive investment and specific expertise; therefore, the company has signed an agreement to test and develop the technology at a factory in China.
Forest thieves are now an “international mafia”
While some scientists are attempting to use wood in innovations, on a global scale, forests are being ruthlessly plundered. The illegal timber trade is a massive black market worth approximately 152 billion dollars a year. Criminals have become so brazen that they are forging documents to sell wood from the radioactive Chernobyl zone. In the Amazon rainforest and Madagascar, gangs are terrorising the local population.
The UN recently adopted a historic decision—from now on, timber smuggling will be officially considered international organised crime (much like drug or arms smuggling), which means that countries will find it much easier to extradite criminals for trial and seize their illicit funds. Interestingly, the US voted against this decision, arguing that existing laws should suffice; 83 countries rejected the US objections and agreed on stricter global rules.
Wood is becoming a critically important energy resource for the future (for batteries), which is precisely why radical action must be taken to stop the illegal looting of forests before these resources are destroyed beyond repair.
Sources: Nordic forestry sector information sites