On 27 June, Elkem CEO Helge Aasen participated in a roundtable discussion with EU Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič and Norwegian Minister of Trade & Industry Jan Christian Vestre on current and future challenges and opportunities in Europe’s green transition.
The meeting was organized by The Norwegian Minister of Trade and Industry, The Confederation of Norwegian Enterprises and The Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions. Maroš Šefčovič is the Vice President at the European Commission and also coordinator of the Commission’s work on the European Battery Alliance (EBA).
Together with other high-level representatives from the Norwegian business community, Helge Aasen represented Elkem and its subsidiary Vianode in the conversation with Šefčovič and Norwegian Minister of Trade and Industry, Jan Christian Vestre. The main topic for the meeting was raw materials and batteries, as essential components in the green transition.
“We in Elkem are proud to be key suppliers to Europe for many advanced materials which are critical for the green transition, and we appreciate the ambitions announced at today’s meeting about enhanced political and industrial cooperation on the strategic value chains of batteries and raw materials. Elkem also aims to build a leading producer of sustainable battery materials through Vianode, which represents an attractive growth opportunity. The market for battery materials is growing at an exponential rate and developing sustainable value chains is critical for the green transformation. To make this happen in Europe and in Norway, we need competitive framework conditions”, says Helge Aasen, CEO of Elkem.
Founded by Elkem in 2021, Vianode currently has around 60 employees. The company builds on Elkem’s experience in advanced material solutions as well as its in-house research and development resources. Vianode recently announced a transaction where Hydro and Altor each plan to acquire 30% ownership in Vianode, while Elkem will retain the remaining 40% ownership. Hydro and Altor both add significant experience and expertise in developing large-scale industrial projects in the battery value chain. The transaction is subject to formal approval by all parties and regulatory approvals, including competition authorities.
The EU Green Deal identifies batteries as a key ‘breakthrough technology’ in the green transition. Sustainably produced batteries will be key to decarbonize the transport and energy sectors, reduce CO2 emissions and create good-quality jobs. Global demand for batteries is predicted to grow tenfold in the coming decade due to higher EV penetration, stationary energy storage and industrial – and maritime applications. The predicted high volumes call for a massive mobilization of all battery stakeholders.