Research project on sustainable batteries receives NOK 100 million grant from Norwegian government

The project partners include Elkem and Vianode as well as Norsk Hydro, Corvus, Morrow and Freyr. These companies will work together with SINTEF and IFE (Institute for Energy Technology) on a research and innovation project with the aim of supporting the green transition through sustainable battery production in Norway with reduced emissions.

The project will cover activities throughout the entire battery value chain, from the production of active battery materials to cell production, modelling of battery degradation, safety and recycling.

“It is through research and innovation we create tomorrow’s sustainable society. The Norwegian government wishes to use the Green Platform initiative to stimulate bigger and more rapid investments from companies in green sustainable solutions and products,” says Jan Christian Vestre, Norway’s Minister of Trade and Industry.

“The Green Platform will strengthen Norwegian exports and value creation and enable us to implement the green transition and create green growth. It will also make Norwegian companies and research institutions better equipped to exploit the opportunities provided by the EU’s Green Deal initiative, which is part of the research and innovation programme Horizon Europe,” he says.

The Green Platform is a Norwegian government initiative to provide funding for enterprises and research institutes engaged in green growth and restructuring driven by research and innovation. The Government has granted NOK 1 billion over a period of three years to a green transition of the industrial sector, which is managed by the Norwegian Research Council, Innovation Norway and Siva.

Elkem has established Vianode as a fully-owned subsidiary and brand dedicated to advanced battery materials. The booming market for batteries and battery materials continues and the production of battery materials represents one of Elkem’s biggest growth opportunities. Vianode is a producer of sustainably engineered battery materials that increase safety and reduce charging time in electric vehicles and other sophisticated energy storage applications.

“The world needs greener batteries and we in Elkem and Vianode enable that by supplying advanced anode materials with a minimal footprint. We very much appreciate the Norwegian government’s strong support for this research and innovation project within sustainable materials for the battery value chain and we look forward to working together with our other industry and research partners”, says Stian Madshus, Vice President and General Manager Europe at Vianode, an Elkem company.