Vulcan Power has opened a lithium extraction optimization plant on the website of the Landau geothermal energy plant in Germany.
Vulcan Power is ready to open their Lithium Extraction Optimization Plant (LEOP) in Landau in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The power goals to up the dimensions of lithium extraction from geothermal water from their present laboratory-scale operations. It should additionally present coaching for the staff in preparation for business manufacturing deliberate by 2026.
The LEOP is situated proper on the Landau geothermal energy plant. This energy plant is presently not operational, however Vulcan states that this isn’t an issue. The pure stress of geothermal fluids in Landau shall be enough for “decrease movement charges” operation. Another choice is to move geothermal brine by truck from the corporate’s geothermal energy plant in Insheim.
Vulcan holds a number of geothermal exploration licenses on the German aspect of the Higher Rhine Valley, and has expanded into Alsace in France. The aim of the corporate is to make use of the geothermal assets within the Higher Rhine Valley to extract CO2-neutral lithium. Vulcan has binding lithium hydroxide offtake agreements with Stellantis, Volkswagen, Renault, LG Power Resolution, and Umicore.
The lithium chloride that shall be produced within the present optimization facility shall be transported to Vulcan’s central lithium electrolysis optimization plant (CLEOP) in Frankfurt-Höchst. There, it will likely be transformed to lithium hydroxide monohydrate which is able to then be examined by Vulcan companions equivalent to Stellantis, Renault, and Volkswagen.
