BillerudKorsnäs continues the development of the paper battery and has during the spring completed the world’s first production on a paper machine. The project is thus a step closer to the commercialisation of both small and large-scale energy storage in a paper battery.
In collaboration with researchers at Uppsala University, basic research has been developed to be able to use ordinary paper fibers for the manufacturing of batteries.
The first production has now been carried out on a paper machine. This has been done at the dedicated pilot machine FEX at RISE, Research Institutes of Sweden. It is an important step forward that confirms the possibility of industrial production of the electrode material.
–This is a big step for us, seeing a concept born in test tubes now running on a big paper machine, says Maria Strømme, Professor of Nano-technology at the Department of Engineering Sciences, Nanotechnology and Functional Materials at Uppsala University.
The battery material is now ready for commercial testing. BillerudKorsnäs continues to work on identifying possible partners in energy storage and other electrochemical applications. The next step is further product development in-house and with partners, for production on an industrial scale.
– We are really happy to be part of the project. It has been an interesting challenge for us that shows the value of the pilot machine in scaling up bio-based concepts, says Konstantin Sundin, Vice President Papermaking and Packaging at RISE.
– Confirming run-ability on a paper machine is an important milestone for production of the forest based Paper Battery electrode. The pilot production confirms that we can produce the material really effectively and in big scale, says Lars Sandberg, Innovation Leader at BillerudKorsnäs.
There are several potential applications of the paper battery. One is within Internet of Packaging, that is, digitization of packaging. Intelligent and active packaging provides sustainable solutions that create and protect products and also offers new experiences for consumers. Another application is large-scale and cost-effective energy storage in the smart grids field.
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