Landau's Municipal Authority - Lithium manufacturer satisfied with backing
Karlsruhe-based raw materials company Vulcan has made progress with its plans to create an integrated geothermal and lithium facility in Landau, Pfalz. Following approval from the city council for an industrial area, construction applications can now be assessed, says Vulcan. The company intends to provide climate-neutral heat for over a million people in the Upper Rhine Graben by 2030 and extract lithium as a raw material, like for electric car batteries.
Vulcan Group CEO, Cris Moreno, commented: "This decision from Landau city council is a major leap in implementing the first phase of our project." The facility in Landau will have hot industrial water and lithium-rich thermal water routed to it. The area's inhabitants will receive climate-neutral heat via a district heating system.
Lithium is supposed to be extracted from the thermal water, according to plans, before it is returned underground. Vulcan plans to create lithium chloride from this, which will later be turned into battery-grade lithium hydroxide monohydrate in a central plant in Frankfurt-Höchst. The company, established in 2018, has already agreed on supply deals with Stellantis, Volkswagen, Renault, and LG. It has also been focusing on technical and chemical processes for some time.
Timing of the Landau City Council's Decision and the Critical Raw Materials Act
The timing of the Landau city council's decision is advantageous for Vulcan: On May 23, the European Union's Critical Raw Materials Act came into force. This legislation regulates the procurement of crucial raw materials like lithium, cobalt, or copper to decrease reliance on particular suppliers, such as China, and prioritize European projects. In addition, the German Federal Ministry of Economics plans to launch 100 extra geothermal projects by 2030.
Lately, Vulcan has also revealed that it has received EUR 40 million in funding from different supporters. Moreno, managing director, claims that this financing also accelerates the Landau project and emphasizes the area's potential to become Europe's "E-Valley."
Details about the Pfalz Project Information about Vulcan Press release on investments
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Vulcan's proposed geothermal and lithium facility is located in Landau, a city in the Palatinate region of Germany. The facility will draw both hot industrial water and lithium-rich thermal water from nearby sources. After extracting lithium, Vulcan plans to process it into battery-grade lithium hydroxide monohydrate at a central plant in Frankfurt-Höchst.
The Landau project is significant for Vulcan as it aligns with the recently enacted European Union Critical Raw Materials Act, which encourages the development of crucial raw materials like lithium within Europe. The German Federal Ministry of Economics also aims to promote 100 additional geothermal projects by 2030.
Lithium extraction from the Landau facility will be conducted sustainably, with the extracted lithium being returned to the underground reservoir after processing. This process ensures the environmental protection and conservation of resources in the regions of Landau in the Palatinate, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Baden-Württemberg, renowned for their mining history.
The Karlsruhe-based raw materials company Vulcan, established in 2018, has already secured supply agreements with major automobile manufacturers such as Stellantis, Volkswagen, Renault, and LG. With the recent EUR 40 million funding and the support of local authorities, Vulcan aims to turn the Landau project into a significant contribution to unlocking Europe's "E-Valley," further reinforcing Landau's standing as a hub for Raw materials and green energy production.
Following the successful completion of the project, residents of Landau and the surrounding areas will benefit from climate-neutral heat, thanks to the introduction of a district heating system (in German: Wärmenetz), ensuring a comfortable living environment in the city and its surroundings.
