Stora Enso inks kraft lignin supply deal with Södra to replace fossil-based anode materials at scale

Stora Enso has signed as one of the first kraft lignin purchasers of Södra, Sweden’s largest forest-owner association. The move follows the major investment announcement earlier this year regarding kraft lignin production at Södra’s Mönsterås, Sweden, site. 

The plant will be the first commercial kraft lignin production facility in Sweden and the “largest of its type” in the world. It is expected to be in operation in 2027.

Lignin, a natural polymer that is one of the main constituents of wood, is in abundant supply. It is nature’s second most common polymer after cellulose touted for its renewable content, reduced carbon footprint and biodegradability.

“This agreement not only secures one additional reliable supply of kraft lignin for our innovative products such as Lignode for batteries but also underscores the growing importance of lignin in creating sustainable solutions across industries,” says Juuso Konttinen, senior vice president and head of Biomaterials Growth at Stora Enso.

“By leveraging our expertise in lignin technology, Södra will be able to produce high-quality lignin that aligns with our sustainability commitments.”

Sustainable battery application

Stora Enso has developed its lignin expertise over the past decade and runs its own pilot plant for battery components production based on the material.

Stora Enso has developed its lignin expertise over the past decade and runs its own pilot plant for battery components based on the material.

A potential key application is Stora Enso’s Lignode technology which can replace fossil-based anode materials, in both lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries. This could potentially make lignin an important component in sustainable electrical manufacturing and also in multiple energy-storage applications. 

Södra’s sources the forest raw material through its more than 50,000 family forester members. It can produce up to 250,000 throughput yield of kraft lignin if the technology is applied to all three of its pulp mills.

“From 2027, Södra will play a decisive role in kraft lignin’s growth as a renewable, sustainable substitute for fossil-based materials,” says executive vice president at Södra Bioproducts Johannes Bogren.

“Stora Enso can trust in our responsible forestry and the low carbon footprint of our pulp mills. Stora Enso’s experience and knowledge of the value chain makes it an ideal customer and we look forward to an innovative and productive partnership.”

Cultivating lignin’s applicability

Market demand for sustainable materials and solutions is driving fast growth in lignin applications. Recently, Inno Energy invested €1 million (US$1.1 million) in Finland-based biomaterials pioneer Lign Easy, specializing in a new lignin separation technology.

Over 15 million tons of lignin are burned by European kraft pulp mills for energy annually, reports Inno Energy. Instead of burning the resource, Lign Easy’s patented technology separates lignin for use in high-value applications such as plywood, construction materials and bio-components in plastics and packaging, providing sustainable alternatives to fossil-based products.

In other advances, a study published on ACS Nano by the American Chemical Society introduced a feasible approach creating new plastics from bamboo by selectively removing part of its lignin and disrupting the crystalline structure of cellulose. Bamboo plastics can be color-adjusted by “precisely regulated by adjusting the lignin content.”