Vulcan and BASF Form Partnership to Explore Regional Geothermal Potential, Lithium Extraction

Wedoany.com Report-Nov 22,Vulcan, a company using naturally occurring geothermal heat to extract lithium from underground geothermal brine and then convert it into battery-grade material, and BASF have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore the use of geothermal energy at the chemical company’s Ludwigshafen site as part of a strategic partnership. The partners aim to evaluate jointly opportunities for harnessing natural heat from deep geothermal sources to supply BASF’s largest site with renewable energy capable of meeting base load power requirements in the future.

The surrounding urban centers of Frankenthal and Ludwigshafen also stand to benefit from the sustainable heat and are participating in the necessary seismic surveys as a first step. In order to make optimal use of synergy effects from the project, Vulcan plans to build a lithium extraction plant for the production of green lithium.

The geology of the Upper Rhine Graben gives the Rhine Valley region enormous geothermal potential. Assuming that the exploratory work is successful, heat pumps could be used to take advantage of the area’s geothermal energy to generate CO2-free steam.

With a potential output of 300 megawatts of thermal energy, around 4 million metric tons of this crucial energy carrier for the chemical industry could be produced at the BASF site in Ludwigshafen every year without the use of fossil fuels. This would prevent the emission of approximately 800,000 metric tons of CO₂, making a significant contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions at BASF’s main site.

In addition to providing renewable heat, Vulcan plans to produce sustainable lithium for the German and European battery and automotive industries as part of the project. The geothermally heated water in the Upper Rhine Graben features a high concentration of this light metal. BASF would first use the hot thermal water to generate steam, Vulcan would then extract lithium using a resource-efficient process known as adsorption-type direct lithium extraction (A-DLE). With this in mind, the two partners are currently examining the possibility of building a lithium extraction plant at BASF’s site at a later date.

Besides its potential for industrial use, deep geothermal energy also offers opportunities for generating district heating. Harnessing this energy could constitute an important step on the road to a successful heat transition at a municipal level. Vulcan and BASF are therefore working together with regional energy suppliers—echnische Werke Ludwigshafen and Stadtwerke Frankenthal—to evaluate whether the geothermal energy made available through the project can be used to supply low-emission heating for households in the two urban areas they serve.

The next step is to carry out a seismic survey to investigate the geothermal conditions in a subregion of the Upper Rhine Graben. Vulcan will be the active project developer, carrying out the exploration and acting as the technical lead. The initial exploratory work is currently scheduled to begin in early 2025.