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Both made of waste. Lignin batteries are being developed for new Volkswagen electric cars and other equipment
“The impact of lids is significant; our recent study shows that more than 50% of the total climate impact of a take-away coffee cup comes from the plastic lid. This can change now,” says Tuomas Puonti, vice president of foodservice boards at Stora Enso Packaging Materials.
The new Cupforma Natura Aqua+ material is lightweight, sturdy, and able to withstand the heat and moisture of hot beverages. It is easy to apply and secure tightly to paper cups when used as paper lids.
The material features a double-sided, water-based dispersion – which is fluorochemical-free. The underlying paperboard, Cupforma Natura, is made from renewable wood fibre.
Biodegradable paper lids are produced by grinding, evaporating, molding, pressing without the addition of oil products at any stage. The lids are printable and able to withstand exposure to water for several hours. After use, they can be fully recycled with paper and board or decompose within a few months.
It’s also noteworthy that Cupforma Natura Aqua+ is highly convertible and requires no modification to existing lines.
“This appeals to customers as it meets their sustainability objectives to have both a recyclable paper cup and a lid,” says Cengiz Avci, division director of Aspect CPM, a supplier of Cupforma Natura Aqua+-based lids.
“Having both being made from the same aqua-coated board is a step in the right direction for them. The reaction has been very positive.
“Customers are impressed by the quality of the material and how it reacts to hot drinks and we now see that an aqua-coated product works well.”
Also at the end of July, Stora Enso signed an agreement with the Swedish company Northvolt to create sustainable batteries using lignin-based hard carbon.
“Our lignin-based hard carbon, Lignode®, will secure the strategic European supply of anode raw material, serving the sustainable battery needs for applications from mobility to stationary energy storage,” says Johanna Hagelberg, Executive Vice President for Biomaterials at Stora Enso.
Stora Enso will provide its lignin-based anode material Lignode, originating from sustainably managed forests, while Northvolt will drive cell design, production process development and scale-up of the technology.
“With this partnership, we are exploring a new source of sustainable raw material and expanding the European battery value chain, while also developing a less expensive battery chemistry,” says Emma Nehrenheim, Chief Environmental Officer at Northvolt.
“It is an exciting demonstration of how our pursuit of a sustainable battery industry goes hand-in-hand with creating a positive impact both on society and cost.”
For reference
German carmaker Volkswagen is preparing to switch to electric vehicles by investing hundreds of millions of dollars in Northvolt, which is expected to supply batteries.
According to TrueCar Inc., due to geopolitical tensions and rising energy prices,, the number of potential buyers looking for electric vehicles online has increased by 280% compared to last year. This is the largest annual increase ever seen. Purchases of hybrid vehicles also increased by 83%.
Lignin is a plant-derived polymer found in the cell walls of dry-land plants. Trees are composed of 20–30% of lignin, where it acts as a natural and strong binder. It is one of the biggest renewable sources of carbon anywhere.
Stora Enso’s pilot plant for bio-based carbon materials is located at the Group’s Sunila production site in Finland, where lignin has been industrially produced since 2015.
The annual lignin production capacity is 50,000 tonnes, making Stora Enso the largest kraft lignin producer in the world. The Group is also evaluating its first industrial production of Lignode at the Sunila site through a feasibility study.
gofro.expert
