Johnson Matthey's battery materials plant in Konin, Poland, to be 100% powered by renewable electricity

LONDON, Jan. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Johnson Matthey (JM), a leader in sustainable technologies, has confirmed that its battery cathode materials plant in Konin, Poland, will be powered solely by electricity from renewable sources from day 1 of production.  

JM has signed a contract with Axpo, a leading European producer and marketer of renewable energy which focuses on solar and wind investments. Axpo will provide renewable electricity to Johnson Matthey's new factory in Konin that is expected to commence commissioning in 2022 to supply automotive platforms for production in 2024. Using 100% renewable energy will significantly reduce the plant's carbon footprint and support Poland's shift to a lower carbon economy.  

The new plant in Konin represents a major step in the commercialisation of eLNO^®, JM's family of advanced, nickel-rich cathode materials designed for PHEV/BEV automotive battery applications. With production powered 100% by renewable energy, eLNO has the strong environmental credentials that contribute to a sustainable battery value chain.

Securing 100% renewable energy from day 1 demonstrates Johnson Matthey's commitment to sustainability both now and in the future and represents the first step in Johnson Matthey's plan to invest in strategic partnerships to develop new long term renewable energy supply as the Battery Materials business expands its production capacity.

Christian Günther, Chief Executive, Battery Materials at JM comments: "Making battery materials is an energy intensive process. When running at target capacity, our Konin plant will significantly increase JM's overall energy consumption, so it's crucial that we minimise its carbon footprint from the outset to ensure a sustainable battery value chain. Playing a big part in the future of electric vehicles isn't enough for us – sustainability is at heart of everything we do at Johnson Matthey as we strive to make the world a cleaner, healthier place."

Johnson Matthey is a global leader in science that enables a cleaner and healthier world. With over 200 years of sustained commitment to innovation and technological breakthroughs, we improve the performance, function and safety of our customers' products and in 2020 we received the London Stock Exchange's Green Economy Mark, given to companies that derive more than 50% of revenues from environmental solutions. Our science has a global impact in areas such as low emission transport, pharmaceuticals, chemical processing and making the most efficient use of the planet's natural resources. Today more than 14,000 Johnson Matthey professionals collaborate with our network of customers and partners to make a real difference to the world around us. Johnson Matthey is a member of the Global Battery Alliance and supports the GBA's ten principles for a sustainable battery value chain.   

For more information, visit www.matthey.com

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eLNO is a trademark of Johnson Matthey Public Limited Company