Södra will supply Stora Enso with kraft lignin from the ‘world’s largest’ production facility coming to Sweden in 2027 – anticipating a production capacity of up to 250,000 tpy of kraft lignin.
Lignin is described as nature’s ‘second most common’ polymer after cellulose; it is said to attract customers due to its renewable content, reduced carbon footprint, biodegradability, and performance characteristics.
Back in 2020, Södra invested in what it claims to be the ‘world’s first’ commercial biomethanol plant in Mönsterås, featuring a sawmill, pulp mill, wind-power plants, and its own port. The surplus renewable energy from the pulp mill is expected to produce kraft lignin with a low carbon footprint.
The investment was supported by the Swedish Energy Agency and is part of the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) and Next Generation EU. Södra’s facility is set to be the first in Sweden to produce kraft lignin commercially and the largest of its kind in the world, with operation scheduled for 2027.
Meanwhile, Stora Enso runs its own pilot plant for battery material. Its Lignode technology is designed to replace fossil-based anode materials in lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries – contributing to sustainability-minded electrical manufacturing and multiple energy storage applications, Södra explains.
Stora Enso’s agreement with Södra will serve as an external source for raw material as increasing demand for sustainability-minded materials drives growth for lignin products. Södra hopes to complement Stora Enso’s knowledge and experience with its 50,000 family forester members, as well as help Stora Enso scale its technology across 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,” said Johannes Bogren, executive vice president at Södra Bioproducts. “Stora Enso being a key customer, partner and technology support provider puts us at the heart of a value chain which can deliver a variety of climate-effective solutions for the green transition, with the automotive and energy-storage sectors being a key part of that.
“Stora Enso, in turn, 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.”
“We are excited to partner with Södra in this important endeavour,” added Juuso Konttinen, senior vice president and head of Biomaterials Growth at Stora Enso. “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.
“By leveraging our expertise in lignin technology, Södra will be able to produce high-quality lignin that aligns with our sustainability commitments.”
Back in July, it was announced that Andritz would supply its complete solution for producing kraft lignin into Södra’s pulp mill. The simultaneous installation of a sulphuric acid plant hopes to close the loop on sulphur and avoid sulphate streams, even when lignin recovery is fully operational.
In other news, LignEasy has received a €1m investment to support its scale-up and provide capital injection and connection to EIT InnoEnergy’s ecosystem. The first pilot plant is expected to be fully operational at the end of October 2024, with LignEasy hoping to cut down on carbon emissions in the pulp industry and replace fossil-based raw materials with forest-based feedstock.
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