An expert group consisting of representatives of LUT, the Kolli Foundation and Natural Resources Institute Finland surveyed in spring 2021 potential candidates that significantly increased the value-added of forests and invited the most inspiring examples to enter as finalists for the award.
The winner of the award was announced at an online event on November 18, 2021.
The winner was Stora Enso's wood-based carbon
Stora Enso – using wood for batteries
As a significant player in the bioeconomy, Stora Enso is a global supplier of renewable products for the packaging, biomaterials, wood product and paper industries. The company is currently testing out the production of wood-based carbon at its Sunila pilot plant in Kotka. Wood-based carbon could replace the non-renewable graphite used in batteries. It is Stora Enso’s solution for a greener battery industry.
The main raw material for wood-based carbon is lignin, which is renewable and non-toxic. It is a binding agent that is found in all plants. Lignin is produced in Sunila as a by-product of pulp production, with an annual production capacity of 50,000 tonnes. Indeed, the plant is the world's largest producer of extra-dry lignin. Usually the lignin is used as a fuel for pulp production.
Natural graphite, on the other hand, is on the EU's list of critical materials, and synthetic graphite is also made from fossil-based by-products of oil production. The availability of graphite in Europe is continually declining. Stora Enso believes that wood-based carbon can take its place in the lithium-ion battery value chain. In addition, further research is seeking to take things even further: the aim is to increase both the speed and the power of battery charging and discharging. If successful, the battery capacity can then be optimally sized to charge the required amount of electricity.
As transport becomes electrified at an accelerating pace, the battery industry is expected to grow tenfold over the next ten years. This means that lignin-based materials have high growth potential. Once the concept’s functionality has been verified at the pilot plant, Stora Enso's goal is to commercialise the product and thus create new jobs. The product can be expected to reach the market in around 5–10 years. In addition to their use in batteries, wood-based carbon also has potential for consumer electronics and large energy storage systems.
In the view of the expert panel, battery industry solutions based on renewable resources are very welcome. The group also values the goal of producing the new product from a by-product of pulp production.
Other candidates
OiOi – Well-being from nature by digital means
OiOi Collective Oy is a media agency that promotes well-being through smart media architecture solutions and services. The company creates in physical spaces digital, holistic and interactive installations that make use of resources such as Finnish forests and nature.
Kuhmo City's Woodpolis – creating a more sustainable tomorrow with wood, entrepreneurship and collaboration
The City of Kuhmo is carrying out long-term work as a forest-oriented municipality in which nature and the diverse value of forests are widely taken into account in both the work and leisure sphere. The Kuhmo-based wood product cluster Woodpolis is an integral part of the city’s strategy, which draws its strength from the Kainuu forest.
