Siemens and Vulcan Energy team up to scale Europe’s sustainable lithium supply

Key highlights
  • Lionheart targets 24,000 t/year lithium hydroxide monohydrate (LHM), ~500,000 EV batteries, plus 275 GWh power and 560 GWh heat annually over a 30-year project life.
  • Siemens named preferred automation and digitalization supplier for Lionheart under a Memorandum of Understanding extending to 2035 and future phases.
  • Siemens Financial Services to become a minority investor in a consortium alongside HOCHTIEF and Demea and introduced EIFO into the debt consortium.
  • Project located in Germany's Upper Rhine Valley/Frankfurt region and classified as a Strategic Project under the EU Critical Raw Materials Act.

Project overview

Lionheart is an integrated lithium and renewable energy project in Germany's Upper Rhine Valley targeting 24,000 t/year lithium hydroxide monohydrate (LHM), about 500,000 EV batteries annually, plus 275 GWh/year renewable electricity and 560 GWh/year heat over an estimated 30-year project life.

Technology and scope

Siemens was named preferred supplier of automation and digitalization technology under a Memorandum of Understanding extending to 2035 and covering future phases; specified solutions include advanced instrumentation, distributed control systems, digital twin capability, industrial networking, IT security, analytics and smart building infrastructure from the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio.

Financing and partners

Siemens Financial Services will become a minority investor in a strategic investor consortium alongside HOCHTIEF and Demea Sustainable Investment; SFS introduced the Export and Investment Fund of Denmark (EIFO) into the project's debt consortium.

Regulatory and operational context

The project is classified as a Strategic Project under the EU Critical Raw Materials Act and will operate across multiple sites in the Upper Rhine Valley and Frankfurt region to supply local industry and support a regional battery supply chain.