One year after forming a strategic partnership, Stora Enso and Altris are taking meaningful steps toward building sustainable sodium-ion battery technology in Europe.

The companies will present the latest progress from their collaboration at The Battery Show Europe 2025, including prototype sodium-ion battery cells produced using industrial equipment and made with renewable, locally sourced materials-including wood-based lignin from Nordic forests.

The partnership combines Stora Enso's bio-based anode material, Lignode, and Altris's sodium-ion battery technology, with the shared goal of developing batteries that are not only high-performing but also aligned with European sustainability goals, industrial policy, and energy security needs.

'This partnership is about more than materials-it's about building a European sodium-ion battery technology that is resilient, traceable and truly sustainable,' says Juuso Konttinen, Senior Vice President & Head of Biomaterials Growth at Stora Enso. 'Together with Altris, we're showing that innovation, local sourcing, and industrial collaboration can accelerate the transition to fossil-free energy without relying on critical raw materials from outside Europe.'

Since the collaboration began in 2024, the teams have quickly moved from joint development to pilot-scale validation. Early-stage sodium-ion cells-20 Ah, 3V-have been assembled using industrial-scale equipment in Sweden. The cells have shown promising technical performance and represent a significant step forward in building a scalable European supply chain.

'We've demonstrated that European sodium-ion cells are technically viable and can be produced with local materials,' says Ronnie Mogensen, CSO at Altris. 'Working with Stora Enso allows us to match our cell technology with a bio-based anode that's scalable and sustainable. Together, we're building batteries that Europe can be proud of.'

With battery demand expected to rise 14-fold by 2030, sodium-ion offers a complementary solution to lithium-ion-cost-effective, non-toxic, and based on abundant materials-while supporting European industry and climate goals. This partnership illustrates how companies across industries can join forces to turn innovation into tangible solutions-laying the groundwork for a future European battery value chain built from salt, iron, wood, and air.