Norwegian cell manufacturer Freyr Battery is gearing up for full-scale cell production. Andrew Draper met with the company to learn about its technology.
Freyr is pinning its technological beliefs on 24M’s LFP semi-solid battery cell technology manufacturing platform, which it reckons has boosted efficiency and use of resources.
The company is notching up milestones towards full-scale battery production and expects to commence production of sample functional battery cells using the full automation of the Customer Qualification Plant (CQP) in the first half of 2024.
Mike Brose, senior vice president of operations in Mo i Rana, northern Norway, was recently hired from the US. He told BEST the choice fell on 24M technology because it takes less energy, entails fewer process steps and the footprint is smaller.
Fewer steps means a shorter production line, a two-thirds cut in energy consumption and lower capex (total figure is not being disclosed). Being fully automated means fewer staff.
“I think in terms of proven technology, it’s definitely proven, but not at the scale we’re trying to do here,” Brose said. “And that’s really the purpose of the CQP, to demonstrate giga scale for this technology. And that’s what we’re in the process of doing now.”
Successful casting trials
In its fourth quarter earnings report, Freyr announced the completion of successful automated anode casting trials with active anode slurry. It said that, and successful cathode casting trials, means one major milestone remains before automated production at the CQP, that is: integrating the casting webs across the cathode, anode and merge units of the casting and unit cell assembly equipment.
There are three multi-carrier systems (MCS) on the casting machine – anode, cathode and merge. It works as a web transport mechanism where anode and cathode laminates enter, go through casting and result in web with cast anode/cathode electrodes. The cast webs are merged and transported through the machine by MCS pallets into the other process-related units.
Freyr said its MCS solution is a combination of Festo/Siemens and Weiss technology with Mpac-engineered elements. Festo and Siemens have worked together on supply of controls for the system, mechanical assembly, linear motor system and belt drive for pallet infeed, outfeed and buffer. The Weiss solution includes equipment for driving the pallets through the casting zone and supporting the pallets during casting, to withstand high loads. The automation production machine is supplied by UK company Mpac Lambert. It is prequalified by 24M.
Main hurdle is scaling up
Brose said the main technical challenge facing his team is the scaling up and automation at scale. “So in this disruptive technology…we’re bringing two fully manufactured electrodes and bringing them together at precision. And to do that at speed is the next critical hurdle to get past to fully automate this process.”
The company is satisfied it has validated the chemistry and that it works. “It’s just a question of doing it at a rate that’s then going to make it giga-scale viable,” he said.
Freyr said in its year-end report it had completed handover of 363 of 388 (94%) discrete production line equipment commissioning and testing packages.
The initial plan in 2019 was to build two factories at its site in Mo i Rana: a fast track (80,000 square metres) and giga-scale factory of 700,000 sq. m. with combined 32GWh annual production. Using 24M technology for efficiency gains, the company has ended up with 29GWh capacity on a plot of just 80,000 sq. m. This is alongside a 13,000 sq. m. pilot plant (the CQP) built inside an existing factory.
Giga Arctic was designed to have eight industrial-scale production lines, with an integrated pack and module pack factory. Construction started in 2022 but stopped in 2024 as the Inflation Reduction Act made the US more interesting. The Norwegian site is being maintained ready for activity and the company says a competitive business framework is needed. Technology development is continuing at the CQP. Freyr is watching funding developments in Europe.
Giga America in Georgia
In 2022 it announced Coweta County in Georgia would be the US location for a battery cell factory. Freyr has the land for development and plans to start production at Giga America in 2026. The company is talking to the DOE Loan Program Office, and has been invited to participate in Part 2 of a loan scheme, with a view to qualifying for a loan by end-2024. It expects project equity to fund Giga America will follow successful customer testing of clean battery cells at the CQP in Norway.
Brose said the big automation component is the multi-carrier system because each electrode is going to be on a registered pallet that must move in synchronisation with others. There are over 21,000 data points and Siemens has done the automation design. Brose said it is the largest system in the world in terms of the number of servo motors and instrumentation points and all the things required to track every electrode through the entire process. Everything is to be tracked digitally from one part of the machine to the next, in synchronisation and with nothing getting lost.
Rønningsen said Freyr will work with Siemens and others to harvest data: “I’m very intrigued by 21,000 data points that you can monitor because in cell production, raw materials are the most expensive component. Many talk about electricity and so forth, but it’s the raw materials. So making fewer mistakes and rapidly increasing yield without a high scrap rate is something that grows your margins.”
Only bit of kit left
Brose added: “It’s an exciting time for sure because the only bit of kit left is this final portion of the casting machine. Everything else has been through its commissioning processes and been handed over by the vendor. And so the last bit is the piece that actually puts the battery together. But everything in the raw material supply preparation side and everything on the battery formation and ageing packaging stuff downstream has all been tested and vetted, and is ready to go. And so the team is ready.”
Brose said that when the company gets to the point where Giga America is ready to start operations, its people can transfer the technology, training and lessons learned from Norway. Rønningsen added: “The plan was Giga Arctic, and this is where we started to construct, but of course the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) really changed the game overnight.”
The company sees positive signs in Europe and is encouraged by the support showed by the German authorities to Sweden’s Northvolt. Freyr is in dialogue with players throughout industry, and not just the battery segment.
In the meantime, it is considering optional uses for its Giga Arctic plant, which has set it back roughly $2.5 billion. The CQP cost an additional $1.5 billion. The US operation will cost a similar amount, Rønningsen said, though no figure has been announced yet.
Trump and the IRA
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has spoken out against the IRA and analysts believe if he wins the autumn presidential election he would move against the law, for example by removing the EV tax credits. They take $7,500 off the cost of a new vehicle.
Rønningsen said: “Well, the interesting thing is whether the IRA lives through the administration or not, if we are successful at working with the Department of Energy for loan approval, that’s independent and is resilient to administrative change.”
Regardless of whether the IRA survives, any agreement made under it becomes legally binding. Freyr is preparing its Title 17 Clean Energy Financing Program application to the US Department of Energy to qualify for a conditional commitment by end of this year for the construction of Giga America.
The market
The growth in energy storage means Freyr has its eyes on that segment – both in the US and worldwide – as well as the marine, e-mobility and EV markets. The business model is to partner up along the battery value chain with technology licensing agreements, with nothing on or off the table, said Rønningsen. It has already entered into numerous agreements to license in technology. The company had a cash pile at end-2023 of $276 million.