- Seismic surveys will occur from late February to early March on 75 km of roadway in Germany.
- The project includes potential construction of a Lithium Extraction Plant in Ludwigshafen.
- The development aims to provide renewable heat and sustainable lithium production.
- Future phases will replicate the model to aid European industry decarbonization.
Project Overview
Vulcan Energy has received approvals to begin seismic surveys for a geothermal heat project in the Ludwigshafen region, Germany, in partnership with BASF SE. The project aims to supply BASF’s Verbund site with baseload heat and includes the potential construction of a commercial Lithium Extraction Plant at BASF’s headquarters.
Seismic Survey Details
The first stage involves two-dimensional seismic surveys from late February to early March, covering approximately 75 kilometers of roadway in the Vorderpfalz region, including towns like Bad Dürkheim and Ludwigshafen. The results will guide the next stage, a three-dimensional survey, to determine optimal locations for geothermal and lithium production wells.
Geothermal and Lithium Production
The project plans to use geothermal energy from the Upper Rhine Valley Brine Field to provide renewable heat for BASF’s main plant. Additionally, it aims to offer sustainable district heating for Ludwigshafen and Frankenthal, utilizing extracted heated brine for lithium production.
Future Expansion
Vulcan intends to replicate this development model across the Upper Rhine Valley Brine Field in future phases. The goal is to build affordable renewable heating solutions, contributing to the decarbonization of European industry and the public heating sector. The same geothermal wells will also support lithium production for lithium-ion batteries.
