Johnson Matthey plc (JM; London) has confirmed that its battery cathode materials plant in Konin, Poland, will be powered solely by electricity from renewable sources from day one of production.
JM has signed a contract with Axpo, a leading European producer and marketer of renewable energy which focuses on solar and wind investments. Axpo will provide renewable electricity to Johnson Matthey’s new factory in Konin that is expected to commence commissioning in 2022 to supply automotive platforms for production in 2024. Using 100% renewable energy will significantly reduce the plant’s carbon footprint and support Poland’s shift to a lower carbon economy.
The new plant in Konin represents a major step in the commercialization of eLNO, JM’s family of advanced, nickel-rich cathode materials designed for PHEV/BEV automotive battery applications. With production powered 100% by renewable energy, eLNO has the strong environmental credentials that contribute to a sustainable battery value chain.
Securing 100% renewable energy from day one demonstrates Johnson Matthey’s commitment to sustainability both now and in the future and represents the first step in Johnson Matthey’s plan to invest in strategic partnerships to develop new long term renewable energy supply as the Battery Materials business expands its production capacity.
Christian Günther, Chief Executive, Battery Materials at JM comments: “Making battery materials is an energy intensive process. When running at target capacity, our Konin plant will significantly increase JM’s overall energy consumption, so it’s crucial that we minimise its carbon footprint from the outset to ensure a sustainable battery value chain. Playing a big part in the future of electric vehicles isn’t enough for us – sustainability is at heart of everything we do at Johnson Matthey as we strive to make the world a cleaner, healthier place.”