OSLO, NORWAY: Elkem, Hydro and Altor (Altor Fund V) today introduced a partnership with the intention to speed up the expansion of Vianode, a producer of sustainable battery materials. An funding decision for a possible first-phase plant at Herøya, Norway, is anticipated within the primary half of 2022.
Vianode has developed a vary of artificial graphite merchandise for batteries with distinctive efficiency traits and produced with considerably decrease CO2 emissions than today’s standard supplies – supporting the ambitions of main battery cell and automotive manufacturers.
Today, an electrical vehicle (EV) contains on common 40-70 kg of graphite, representing a vital component of the battery. Vianode’s merchandise are developed based on specialised know-how in excessive -temperature processes, closed manufacturing systems, decrease energy consumption and entry to renewable energy.
Founded in 2021, Vianode currently has round 50 employees. The firm builds on Elkem’s expertise in superior supplies solutions, its in-house analysis and development resources, in addition to the strong efficiency of Vianode’s industrial pilot plant in Kristiansand, Norway. After this transaction, Hydro and Altor will every have 30% possession in Vianode, whereas Elkem will retain the remaining 40% ownership.
“I would like to congratulate the events on a really thrilling industrial collaboration! The Norwegian Government has nice ambitions for a inexperienced industrial boost the place batteries are one of six focus areas. The purpose is to create new, inexperienced jobs, increase mainland investment, increase exports outside oil and gas and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These are the kind of projects and partnerships we need extra of when we now will undergo the biggest restructuring of the Norwegian economy ever,” says Norwegian Minister of Trade and Industry, Jan Christian Vestre.
An funding decision for a possible first-phase plant for Vianode is anticipated throughout the primary half of 2022. This plant will have roughly 100 employees and produce graphite for greater than 20,000 EVs per year. A potential full-scale plant will produce graphite for greater than 1 million EVs per year and is anticipated to extend the variety of employees in Vianode to round 300, enabling greater than 1,000 inexperienced jobs together with exterior effects.
The total investments within the first-phase plant and preparations for a possible full-scale plant are estimated at round NOK 2 billion. The plant development is pending clarifications associated to framework conditions, together with public support mechanisms and long-term entry to aggressive renewable energy and grid infrastructure.
“The marketplace for battery supplies is rising at an exponential rate and developing sustainable worth chains is critical for the inexperienced transformation. Vianode goals to become a quantity one producer of sustainable battery materials, and this represents an attractive growth alternative for Elkem. Hydro and Altor each add significant expertise and expertise in developing large-scale industrial projects within the battery worth chain. Through complementary skillsets, the partnership with Hydro and Altor will contribute to creating Vianode a extremely valuable contribution to the European battery worth chain,” says Elkem CEO, Helge Aasen.
“We are excited to partner up with Elkem and Altor to industrialize Vianode. We look ahead to using our industry scaling capabilities together with project execution for large industrial projects, our supplies and course of competence and expertise in addition to our track record from serving the car OEM segments for decades. Vianode is a good match for our strategic direction of rising in renewable energy and new-energy solutions,” says Hilde Merete Aasheim, Hydro President & CEO.
“We are thrilled to partner with Elkem and Hydro on this very thrilling opportunity. Vianode is completely positioned to form the way ahead for the automotive industry and can be an important contributor to the inexperienced transition and a carbon impartial future. We have expertise from partnerships in different inexperienced transition projects the place entire industries are being reshaped, and with Vianode we will construct a brand new inexperienced EV provide chain in Europe. We are very impressed by the work Elkem has done with Vianode, and we think it will be a really thrilling partnership with each Elkem and Hydro,” says Tom Jovik, Principal at Altor.
The transaction is topic to formal approval by all events and regulatory approvals, together with competitors authorities.