On August 16, 2024, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre of Norway officially inaugurated Morrow Batteries’ new LFP battery factory in Arendal. This facility is Europe’s first gigawatt-scale factory for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery chemistry.
The plant has a production capacity of up to 3 million battery cells annually, equivalent to 1 GWh. Test production has begun, with commercial production scheduled to commence by year-end. Morrow Batteries will collaborate with customers to optimize production processes and achieve serial production quality.
Lars Christian Bacher, CEO of Morrow Batteries, noted the significance of this event in Norwegian industrial history. He acknowledged the support from local and national government, shareholders, and the company’s diverse workforce of 200 employees from 34 nationalities.
The Arendal facility is the first of four planned factories in the area and will employ approximately 150 people. Construction and equipment installation required over 366,000 working hours, with 1,650 individuals completing mandatory health and safety training. No accidents were reported during the construction phase.
LFP batteries are increasingly important for applications including battery energy storage systems, heavy-duty machinery, and mid-range electric vehicles. Since November of the previous year, Morrow has been producing and distributing LFP sample cells to potential customers for testing and validation.
The establishment of this gigafactory aligns with Norway’s strengths in battery manufacturing, leveraging the country’s industry experience, technological expertise, access to renewable power, and skilled workforce.
This development represents a significant advancement in European battery production capabilities and contributes to the continent’s sustainable energy and industrial competitiveness efforts.
Source: MORROW – Press Release
