Stora Enso, recently announced that with "Lignode® by Stora Enso, we use lignin from sustainably managed Nordic forests and turn into an anode material for batteries."

Stora Enso goes on to state that "Trees are composed of 20-30% lignin, where it acts as a binder and gives wood its stiffness and resistance to rotting. It is one of the biggest renewable sources of carbon anywhere.

Being a side stream in the production of cellulose fiber, it is one of the biggest renewable sources of carbon anywhere. Most commonly side streams like lignin are burnt for energy, so by turning it into hard carbon we are making sure that more of the tree is put to good use.

A lithium-ion battery consists of a positive electrode, a cathode, and a negative electrode - called an anode. When a battery is charged, lithium ions in the cathode move into the anode, where they connect with the carbon particles and are stored until the battery is discharged - which is what happens when you use your electronical device.

Today, the material used in the anode is often graphitic carbon - which is a strictly layered material that can have slow charging times. We can replace this fossil-based graphite with hard carbon from trees, which brings with it both technical and environmental benefits."

Stora Enso is exploring in strategic partnerships to drive self-sufficiency in the European battery supply chain for using Lignode for electric vehicle car batteries.

Stora Enso states that "Lignode® is a material that replaces synthetic graphite with lignin, a by-product in the production of cellulose fibre and one of the largest renewable sources of carbon anywhere. Lignin-based carbon can be used in batteries, typically those used in consumer electronics and the automotive industry, and in large-scale energy storage systems. What comes to quality, hard carbon from lignin is comparable to other non-graphitic carbon anode materials.

For the automotive industry, investing in this fossil-free and renewable alternative could mean a significant marketing advantage and a feasible answer to new environmental policies driven by climate change and the need for green energy."

This would be advantageous for European car and battery manufacturers as currently more than 95% of anode battery materials is concentrated in China and Japan, according to Globe Newswire.

We'll keep an eye on this and other innovative developments in the industry.