Siemens, Vulcan partner to scale Europe’s sustainable lithium supply
The Lionheart project in Germany’s Upper Rhine Valley involves the construction of an integrated lithium and renewable energy project targeting production capacity of 24,000 tons of lithium hydroxide monohydrate (LHM).
Siemens and Vulcan Energy have joined forces to advance Europe’s first fully integrated lithium and renewable energy project, with the two companies signing a framework agreement for the Lionheart lithium and renewable energy project in Germany’s Upper Rhine Valley.
The companies have also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), making Siemens a preferred supplier of automation and digitalization technology for Vulcan Energy until 2035. Vulcan’s preference for Siemens will extend beyond Lionheart to include future phases of development, Siemens said in a press release.
Lionheart involves the construction of an integrated lithium and renewable energy project targeting production capacity of 24,000 tons of lithium hydroxide monohydrate (LHM), enough for ca. 500,000 electric vehicle batteries per annum, with a co-product of 275 GWh of renewable power and 560 GWh of heat per annum for local consumers, over an estimated 30-year project life. By partnering with Siemens, Vulcan Energy and the Lionheart Project will benefit from automation and digitalization technologies essential for operating this integrated project, the press release said.
“As both a strategic investor and a key technology partner, we are helping Vulcan Energy establish Europe’s first major sustainable source of lithium,” said Roland Busch, President and CEO of Siemens AG. “With our technology — from advanced automation and digitalization to smart building solutions — we help to ramp up production faster. This is essential to create a local lithium supply for our energy transition and a more competitive, resilient and sustainable European industry.”
“The agreement reflects the growing strength of our partnership with Siemens and reinforces our confidence in delivering the objectives of Vulcan’s Lionheart Project,” said Cris Moreno, Vulcan’s Managing Director and CEO. “This partnership is an important step in unlocking future opportunities for growth, as we progress toward our goal of decarbonizing Europe’s battery supply chain.”