European Chemical Industry News & Insights

Vulcan Begins Geothermal Heat Supply to German Utility

At a glance
  • Vulcan's geothermal project in Landau is part of the Phase One Lionheart Project.
  • The HEAT4LANDAU Project received a €100m grant from the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection.
  • Germany aims for 10TWh geothermal energy by 2030 and 300TWh by 2050.
  • Vulcan plans to expand heat supply to 90,000 households.

Project Overview

Vulcan Energy has started supplying geothermal renewable heat to EnergieSüdwest AG in Landau, Germany. This initiative is part of Vulcan's integrated lithium and renewable energy development, known as the Phase One Lionheart Project. The project aligns with Germany and Europe's commitment to developing local, renewable energy sources.

Geothermal Heat Supply

The commercial supply of renewable heat is produced from Vulcan's deep geothermal wells and is directly integrated into the ESW heating system. This system will supply several district heating networks in Landau, marking a significant step in reducing fossil fuel use and CO2 emissions in district heating.

Future Expansion

To expand renewable heat supply, Vulcan plans to complete five additional production well sites under the HEAT4LANDAU Project. This project received a €100 million grant from the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection in November 2024. The development is supported by the Geothermal Acceleration Act, which aims to accelerate geothermal energy development in Germany.

Geothermal Energy Goals

The Geothermal Acceleration Act is expected to become law by early 2026, supporting Germany's goal of generating 10TWh of domestic geothermal energy by 2030 and 300TWh by 2050. This is intended to meet a quarter of Germany’s annual heating demand, contributing to Europe's broader climate protection targets.

Current and Future Production

Vulcan is already producing geothermal baseload power for 6,500 homes in Germany. Initial heat production is small-scale, starting at around 2MW in the test phase, with plans to ramp up to supply 90,000 households as part of the larger Phase One Project in the area.