Morrow Batteries is pursuing a focused scale-up plan to supply Europe with locally produced, low‑carbon LFP cells. The company operates a 1 GWh prismatic cell factory in Arendal, Norway, powered by 100% hydropower, with commercial LFP availability from 2026. From this industrial base, Morrow aims to expand to ~43 GWh by 2028 through staged giga‑modules at Eyde Energy Park. Rather than chase passenger EVs, Morrow concentrates on energy storage systems (ESS) and demanding industrial and commercial mobility uses where safety, cost, cycle life, and supply assurance matter most.

Its roadmap blends near‑term LFP deliveries with development of LNMOx technology (cobalt‑free and lower nickel) designed for very long life. Recent steps—government financing, a partnership‑first strategy, and offtake agreements—suggest execution traction. This is how Morrow plans to reach 43 GWh: prove product at 1 GWh, lock in customers, and add capacity in 14 GWh blocks as validation and demand scale.

Key Facts & Figures

• Founded: 2020
• Headquarters: Arendal, Norway
• Employees: ~180–200 (2025–2026 company disclosures)
• Power source: 100% renewable hydropower
• Current capacity: 1 GWh (Morrow Cell Factory, prismatic LFP)
• Planned capacity: ~43 GWh by 2028 (Eyde campus; Eyde 1–3 ~14 GWh each)
• Commercial availability: LFP from 2026
• Technologies: LFP prismatic (BEV2); LNMOx with XNO anode in development
• Funding: NOK 1.5B loan (Dec 2024)
• Partners: Proventia (2026), Siemens Mobility (MoU, 2025), SEEL (IPCEI), Haldor Topsoe

Company Background & Market Position

Founded in 2020, Morrow Batteries ASA is a European‑owned cell maker building an integrated Norwegian base across Arendal (manufacturing), Grimstad (R&D), and on‑site customer development inside the factory. Leadership includes Acting CEO and Co‑Founder Jon Fold von Bülow, CFO Steffen Føreid, and Plant Director Dr. Morten Bak, with governance led by Chair Ann Christin Andersen. The company states a team of roughly 180–200 professionals spanning about 30 nationalities.

Morrow positions itself to serve ESS, commercial vehicles, rail, maritime, and off‑road—segments where LFP’s safety and cost profile is well matched and where uptime and total cost of ownership drive decisions. The company’s partnership‑first approach aims to validate technology, secure long‑term offtakes, and co‑develop products with industrial users. Named partners and investors include Siemens, ABB, PKA, Nysnø, Noah AS, and Å Energi, alongside collaboration with SEEL under IPCEI. Early commercial traction includes a Master Supply Agreement with Proventia (Jan 2026) and development programs with additional customers in Europe and North America.

Insights into MORROW Batteries with CSO Jon Fold von Bülow

Recorded in Arendal, Norway during the BetterE Expedition, our colleague Simon Voss sat down with Jon Fold von Bülow, Chief Scientific Officer and co‑founder of MORROW Batteries, to examine how a materials‑first strategy can help Europe rebuild battery manufacturing. The conversation moves from the company’s current LFP focus for energy storage to its work on nickel‑substituted spinel (LNMO), tying technical choices to the realities of price pressure, factory ramp‑up, and regional supply resilience.

Von Bülow traced his path from graduate research in California—where he explored spinel LMO and higher‑voltage LNMO via hydrothermal routes—to industry. After an early startup attempt, he joined Denmark’s Topsoe, helping stand up a new business in battery materials, from LMO commercialization to scaling a sodium‑ion cathode for Faradion. As activity accelerated in the Nordics, he co‑founded MORROW in early 2021 to carry LNMO learnings into a broader product plan.

Competing head‑to‑head on price with established Asian supply remains hard, and Europe must rebuild an industry that eroded years ago. Capital, patience, and stamina are central. Chemistry sentiment also shifts quickly—witness the swing between NMC and LFP—so locking into a single path can be risky. As von Bülow put it, “You have to remain flexible while building an industry.” He also flagged that industrial collaboration in Europe trails academic collaboration, slowing shared learning.

MORROW’s answer centers on materials understanding and platform flexibility. In Arendal, a 7 ppm line is scaling LFP‑graphite cells for stationary storage, while the company develops an LFP variant with stronger high‑temperature behavior without sacrificing low‑temperature performance—targeting systems that may reduce or even avoid active cooling. The team is also advancing LNMO cells in two pairings (with graphite and with a niobate anode). Moving away from graphite potential enables aluminum current collectors on both sides, and the company is preparing second‑generation prismatic samples in the BEF2 format while planning a smaller, power‑oriented cell.

Looking ahead, von Bülow pointed to Europe’s strength in digging into fundamentals and turning that knowledge into differentiated products—provided there is a pipeline that carries research into revenue. That calls for flexible factories, chemistry options, and more open partnerships that share know‑how without giving up competitive advantage.

Manufacturing Capacity & Infrastructure

Morrow’s industrial footprint centers on the Morrow Cell Factory (MCF) at Eyde Energy Park in Arendal. The facility delivers 1 GWh annual capacity and serves as the proof‑of‑concept and industrialization hub for future gigafactory modules. Production uses 100% renewable hydropower and follows the BREEAM‑NOR framework for construction. A Customer Qualification Line (CQL)—initially installed in Chungju‑si, South Korea and relocated to Norway—produces around 2,000 cells per month to bridge R&D and mass production, accelerating customer validation.

Expansion to ~43 GWh relies on staged ~14 GWh modules (Eyde 1–3). Company disclosures note the first giga module is expected operational in 2028, with subsequent phases scaling total output toward the 43 GWh target. This phased plan reduces execution risk by aligning capacity additions with qualified product, stable processes, and contracted demand. The campus model also supports tighter integration of manufacturing, materials (via an Active Material Pilot with Haldor Topsoe), and co‑development with customers.

Technology & Product Portfolio

Morrow’s near‑term commercial focus is LFP prismatic cells (including LFP BEV2 and the LFP Platform), cited as safe, thermally stable, and cost‑effective for ESS and heavy‑duty applications. Commercial LFP deliveries are slated from 2026. In parallel, the company advances LNMOx, a high‑voltage LNMO‑based cathode paired with an XNO anode. According to company materials, LNMOx is cobalt‑free and can reduce nickel content by up to 60% compared with state‑of‑the‑art NMC, while targeting 8,000 cycles and aiming for 15,000—parameters designed to lower lifetime cost and materials usage through fewer replacements.

Morrow also notes that LNMOx offers fast‑charge capability and higher energy density versus other batteries with comparable safety and lifetime for heavy‑use duty cycles. The product development pipeline is supported by roughly 70 scientists at the Morrow Research Centre (Grimstad), the Morrow Development Centre (inside MCF) for customer co‑engineering, and the CQL for qualification. Together, these assets aim to compress the path from R&D to serial production, with prismatic form factors and process learning at 1 GWh feeding the larger Eyde modules.

Strategic Initiatives & Market Context

Morrow’s partnership‑first strategy (announced January 2026) prioritizes stable LFP production, executable sales contracts, and continued LNMOx development. For buyers, the value proposition combines European manufacturing, traceable supply (targeting 100% by 2030), and a low‑CO2 footprint from hydropower‑based production. The company participates in the roll‑out of digital product passports and collaborates under IPCEI to advance next‑generation chemistries.

Market drivers include rapid ESS build‑outs to integrate renewables, grid resilience needs, and industrial electrification. Morrow acknowledges that near‑term LFP cells may use a partially non‑European supply chain while maintaining full EU compliance, with a plan to localize more over time. Recent offtake progress—such as the Proventia agreement—supports the thesis that certain European customers are prepared to pay a premium for localized supply and tailored specifications.

Looking Ahead: Future Outlook & Final Perspective

Reaching 43 GWh by 2028 turns on three pillars:

(1) prove commercial LFP performance at scale from 2026,

(2) secure durable offtakes to justify Eyde module build‑outs, and

(3) maintain cost and quality through hydropower‑based manufacturing and process discipline.

The LNMOx program offers a potential step‑up in lifetime performance for heavy‑use ESS and industrial fleets, creating room for margin and differentiation if cycle‑life targets are met. Risks include capital intensity, competition in LFP, and the timing of permits, supply, and customer qualifications.

If Morrow executes its phased plan—adding ~14 GWh blocks as demand is validated—the company can emerge as a meaningful European supplier for ESS and commercial mobility. That is how Morrow expects to deliver 43 GWh: scale pragmatically from a validated 1 GWh base, align capacity with signed demand, and advance LNMOx to extend product value over time.