Arendal’s Battery Leap: Norway Fuels Europe’s Clean Energy Supply Chain

A new chapter in Europe's green transition is unfolding in a coastal town on Norway's south coast. Arendal, better known for its fjords and fishing boats, is now home to a pioneering battery project that could help Europe ease its dependence on imported cells.

Four years ago, the Norwegian renewables giant Å Energi joined forces with technology partners and investors to create Morrow Batteries. The joint venture has now opened what it describes as Europe’s first gigawatt‑scale lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cell factory, producing around 1 GWh of cells for energy‑storage systems and defence applications.

More importantly, the company plans to add three additional plants at the same site by 2029, turning Arendal into a hub for LFP technology.

LFP cells are cheaper and more durable than the nickel‑manganese‑cobalt batteries commonly used in Western electric cars.

By investing in this chemistry, Morrow hopes to supply European carmakers and power‑grid operators with competitively priced cells, while Norway and the EU—both of which have provided financial backing—see it as a way to build a secure, local supply chain. If all goes to plan, Morrow’s multi‑phase project will support Europe’s push to cut emissions and cement Arendal’s place on the battery map.