Norway’s Morrow Batteries has signed a memorandum of understanding with Ukraine to possibly supply LFP battery cells for battery energy storage systems (BESS) to strengthen the energy system. The agreement is with the State Agency on Energy Efficiency and Energy Saving of Ukraine.
Morrow said Ukraine is aiming to build a distributed BESS grid to ensure stable power. It said the government wants to establish energy storage facilities in every school and hospital as soon as possible. Its power system suffers blackouts as a result of attacks on the electricity system in the ongoing war with Russia.
Lars Christian Bacher, CEO of Morrow Batteries, said Morrow had been chosen as a preferred partner to deliver the LFP cells, adding: “We share a great sense of urgency and will do our part in being ready to sign a firm offtake agreement with relevant authorities in Ukraine and are ready to start deliveries of battery cells from the first quarter of 2025.”
He said exact delivery volumes have yet to be agreed. Potential deliveries under the agreement may reach GWh levels . The parties will work to “mature the MoU agreement” and a final contract will be awarded based on future autonomous negotiations, the company said.
Morrow will make LFP cells at its recently opened Morrow Cell Factory in Arendal, Norway, with mass production in the fourth quarter. It will also produce cells at its next plant in the town, the Eyde I gigafactory. A company spokesperson told BEST it is talking to various BESS clients who specifically want European LFP batteries.
In May 2023, BEST reported how BESS were being deployed to help keep the lights on in war-torn Ukraine.
Bacher was recently reported by Norwegian news media DN.no saying it is important for the company that a Nkr1.5 billion ($141 million) government loan under a new scheme be received before new private investment is received for the second factory. A decision is expected imminently.