Møre Trafo powers a giant battery factory

“We have signed an agreement for transformer deliveries to the pilot plant through our customer OMEXOM. It’s fun to be able to contribute in our way to such large projects. There is a lot of attention and huge expectations for this battery factory,” says Sales & Marketing Manager at Møre Trafo, Ivar Lifjeld.

Transformer Deliveries Worth Seven Million

The delivery from Møre Trafo has a value of seven million kroner. 13 three-phase 2000 kVA oil-immersed transformers, 10 oil tanks, three large MAXI substations with low-voltage switchboards, and one MAXI switching station with 4 medium-voltage breakers will be delivered in February–March 2023.

Making history

“A big day for Arendal, a big day for Norway, and a big day for Europe. We are making history in Norway today,” said Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre when he laid the foundation stone for the pilot project, which is the first construction phase, on Monday, September 26. Within a year, the pilot project will produce one gigawatt of batteries annually, mainly for electric cars.

Among Europe’s largest

The factory is defined as a gigafactory, which means it will be one of the largest in Europe. It will produce batteries for the transport segment, cars and other types of transport. The goal is to outcompete Chinese, South Korean and Japanese players who have had a monopoly on this for almost 20 years.

Environmentally Friendly Batteries

Morrow will also serve as a test center, and will develop more environmentally friendly batteries. According to Morrow’s Chair of the Board, Liv Monica Bargem Stubholt, Morrow has a development program to reduce and eliminate the use of nickel, cobalt, and other challenging battery materials.

Gained Speed

Morrow Batteries was established as early as 2014, but the plans have only really taken off in the last few years. Major investor Bjørn Rune Gjelsten, through his company NOAH, and Agder Energi are the main stakeholders in the factory project, and they are joined by environmental activist and Bellona founder Fredric Hauge who, through his company Bellona Holding, is among many investors. Veidekke and Arendal municipality are also part of the project.

Industrial History

This summer, the state-owned Siva decided to invest NOK 480 million in the property company that will build Morrow’s battery factory in the Eyde Energipark industrial park in Arendal. Siva will own 67 percent of the property company. Minister of Trade and Industry Jan Christian Vestre calls the partnership and the battery factory a major milestone in Norwegian industrial history. The government chose to back Morrow because the company has come furthest with its battery initiative in Norway.

Four construction phases

The first construction phase has a footprint of 19,000 square meters and is the first of four planned factories. Annual production capacity will be 43 GWh when everything is completed as planned in 2028. The total build-out of the factory will likely cost close to 20 billion.

Wireless Charging in the Road

Right now, work is underway on a project where the batteries to be shipped from the factory to customers worldwide will be transported to the nearby port by electric trucks that draw power from the asphalt. According to Fredric Hauge at Bellona, the hope is to build the first road section in Norway with wireless charging for vehicles.