{"id":460092,"date":"2023-10-13T06:30:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-13T04:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/innovationorigins.com\/?p=460092"},"modified":"2023-10-13T06:30:00","modified_gmt":"2023-10-13T04:30:00","slug":"green-lithium-for-greener-cars-vulcan-has-found-the-recipe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/en\/green-lithium-for-greener-cars-vulcan-has-found-the-recipe\/","title":{"rendered":"Green lithium for greener cars: Vulcan has found the recipe"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Ancient castles, romantic landscapes, and lithium. All three can be found in the Upper Rhine Valley. While the first two might represent good reasons to visit the region \u2013 an area stretching alongside the border between Germany and France \u2013 the third can have a broader impact on our lives, as it is the most-needed material for electric vehicles (EVs) batteries.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"io-block io-block__summary\"><ul><li>Vulcan Energy will produce lithium in Germany in a climate-friendly way. <\/li><li>The company uses geothermal power and established technology in the chemical industry for its process. <\/li><li>European automakers signed deals with the company as production is set to start by the end of 2025. <\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This region is where, with its Zero Carbon Lithium\u2122 initiative, <a href=\"https:\/\/v-er.eu\/\">Vulcan Energy<\/a> wants to make a difference. The German-Australian company developed an innovative lithium extraction process that combines geothermal energy and industry-proven refining processes. This results in an environmentally friendly manner of producing the material.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Current lithium extraction methods \u2013 hard rock mining and evaporation ponds \u2013 utilize massive fossil fuels, chemicals, and water inputs. \u201cIf you think that for every ton of lithium hydroxide produced, 15 to 30 tons of CO<sub>2<\/sub> are emitted, it is a big figure, and we think we can have a material decarbonizing effect,\u201d says Francis Wedin, chair and founder of the company, which employs over 320 people.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"vlp-link-container vlp-layout-basic wp-block-visual-link-preview-link advgb-dyn-860dd1d2\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/en\/sustainable-lithium-for-many-decades\/\" class=\"vlp-link\" title=\"Sustainable lithium for many decades\"><\/a><div class=\"vlp-layout-zone-side\"><div class=\"vlp-block-2 vlp-link-image\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vlp-layout-zone-main\"><div class=\"vlp-block-0 vlp-link-title\">Sustainable lithium for many decades<\/div><div class=\"vlp-block-1 vlp-link-summary\">Geothermal wells existing in the Upper Rhine Valley would allow for the reliable extraction of lithium for several decades without these sources running dry. <\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Pumping brine up, lowering emissions down<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A geologist by training, Wedin previously founded a lithium extraction company in Australia in 2014 after learning about the surge the lithium market would have had in the following years. The venture was relatively successful, with its founder stepping out in 2018 following a takeover. \u201cThrough that journey, I learned how high the carbon footprint of lithium production is. I then started looking at ways to decarbonize it. It all began with a clear brief: using commercially proven methods and bolting them together to engineer out fossil fuels,\u201d he explains.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Vulcan\u2019s lithium extraction process relies on lithium adsorption, which has been commercially available for nearly 30 years, and chemical procedures used in the chlor-alkali industry \u2013 a branch of the chemical industry that uses these methods to produce chlorine, for instance \u2013 for a century. Geothermal wells are drilled underground, bringing hot brine to the surface and transforming steam into electricity or renewable heat. In conventional geothermal plants, brine would be pumped to the underground again. Instead, it goes to a direct lithium extraction plant, passing through resin-filled columns that adsorb lithium. The remaining brine is pumped to the underground reservoir.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The resin beads are then washed with water, concentrating the solution with renewable energy. This produces a lithium chloride concentrate, which is transported to a lithium processing plant. There, it gets electrolyzed, finally becoming battery-grade lithium hydroxide. Besides low water and land area consumption \u2013 compared to conventional extraction methods \u2013 Vulcan claims its process creates a surplus of renewable power that the company pumps to the local district heating network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/xTMYNfS3RCA?si=nBASQNlDjFhy_mdf\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">European lithium<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Having these reserves in Europe is critical, as the Old Continent strongly depends on Chinese imports of the material or battery packages. The European automotive industry struggles for survival amid fierce competition from China, which has the advantage of a more established battery value chain, controlling lithium sourcing, refining, and transformation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Therefore, the European car industry warmly welcomed Vulcan\u2019s venture, to the extent that Vulcan\u2019s first five years of production are fully booked already. Stellantis \u2013 the group owning Citroen, Fiat, and Peugeot, among others \u2013 invested \u20ac50 million in the company, becoming the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stellantis.com\/en\/news\/press-releases\/2022\/june\/stellantis-expands-relationship-with-vulcan-energy-becoming-shareholder-in-decarbonized-lithium-company\">second largest shareholder<\/a>. Renault and Volkswagen signed agreements with Vulcan and will use European-mined and produced lithium in their car batteries, with LG also committed.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI think we play an important role in helping the European car industry survive and also building up an industry we are proud of. We want to produce the greenest lithium in the world in Europe to produce the greenest batteries in the world,\u201d states Wedin with a sense of pride.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/archive.ioplus.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Geothermiekraftwerk-Insheim-Klaus-Venus-1004x667.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-460098\" width=\"766\" height=\"509\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Vulcan&#8217;s geothermal plant. \u00a9 Vulcan Energy\/Klaus Venus<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cheaper electric cars?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the factors hampering the sale of EVs in some European countries is their high cost. The battery is the single most expensive component of an EV, with lithium prices heavily contributing to that. \u201cWe will be a very low-cost producer because we are processing a waste product from a geothermal plant. It is a green and cheap process, too,\u201d underlines Wedin.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A ton of lithium deriving from hard rock mining costs about $6855. The exact amount of material extracted using evaporation ponds \u2013 the most used technique in South America\u2019s brines \u2013 comes at over $5870. Vulcan estimates it can produce a tonne of lithium for approximately $4,000. Lower costs also have to do with the fact that Vulcan bet from day one on established technology, integrating different processes together to reduce energy and reagent inputs.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"vlp-link-container vlp-layout-basic wp-block-visual-link-preview-link advgb-dyn-9943b616\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/en\/ceramic-membrane-simplifies-lithium-recycling\/\" class=\"vlp-link\" title=\"Ceramic membrane simplifies lithium recycling\"><\/a><div class=\"vlp-layout-zone-side\"><div class=\"vlp-block-2 vlp-link-image\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vlp-layout-zone-main\"><div class=\"vlp-block-0 vlp-link-title\">Ceramic membrane simplifies lithium recycling<\/div><div class=\"vlp-block-1 vlp-link-summary\">What do an electric car, a laptop, and an electric toothbrush have in common? They are all powered by a lithium-ion battery. <\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ready to go&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The technology is here, and Vulcan is ready to start operating; the goal is to begin production at the end of 2025. In 2022, the company acquired a geothermal plant in Insheim, Germany, where lithium extraction will happen. Additionally, the company is building a chemical plant in Frankfurt that will take care of the last part of its process: transforming the extracted raw material into battery-grade lithium hydroxide.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIn the coming two years, I hope to successfully execute our phase one commercial development, becoming Europe\u2019s first domestically produced lithium with zero carbon emissions. In the meantime, if we can work with our partners to license our technology to be used in other parts of the world, it would be great,\u201d says Wedin.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Besides, the company needs to raise \u20ac1.5 billion in the following months, adding up to the \u20ac350 million collected since its founding. Further opportunities will arise by licensing the technology to be used elsewhere in the world, although with an entire focus on execution in the Upper Rhine Valley. Vulcan is exploring other potential European extraction sites, having acquired an early stage permission for a location close to Cesena, Italy.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Motivation&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Wedin points at people when asked about the key factor that will make the difference in meeting all Vulcan\u2019s milestones. \u201cBringing in people from the oil, gas, and chemical industries who built large-scale projects before will make a difference. Many people in our company used to work in those industries and are highly motivated to work in decarbonization projects,\u201d concludes Wedin.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ancient castles, romantic landscapes, and lithium. All three can be found in the Upper Rhine Valley. While the first two might represent good reasons to visit the region \u2013 an area stretching alongside the border between Germany and France \u2013 the third can have a broader impact on our lives, as it is the most-needed [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2084,"featured_media":493720,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[26049],"tags":[41012,81501,31766,29476,81504],"location":[24456],"article_type":[43139],"serie":[],"archives":[],"internal_archives":[],"reboot-archive":[],"class_list":["post-460092","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mobility","tag-geothermal-energy","tag-green-lithium","tag-lithium-nl","tag-lithium","tag-vulcan-energy","location-germany","article_type-features"],"blocksy_meta":[],"acf":{"subtitle":"Vulcan Energy will soon start producing lithium in Germany, doing so in an innovative and climate-friendly way. ","text_display_homepage":false},"author_meta":{"display_name":"Mauro Mereu","author_link":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/author\/mauro-mereu\/"},"featured_img":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Labor-Vulcan-Energie-Uli-Deck-24.png","coauthors":[],"tax_additional":{"categories":{"linked":["<a href=\"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/en\/category\/mobility\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Mobility<\/a>"],"unlinked":["<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Mobility<\/span>"]},"tags":{"linked":["<a href=\"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/en\/category\/mobility\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">geothermal energy<\/a>","<a href=\"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/en\/category\/mobility\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">green lithium<\/a>","<a href=\"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/en\/category\/mobility\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">lithium<\/a>","<a href=\"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/en\/category\/mobility\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">lithium<\/a>","<a href=\"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/en\/category\/mobility\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Vulcan Energy<\/a>"],"unlinked":["<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">geothermal energy<\/span>","<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">green lithium<\/span>","<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">lithium<\/span>","<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">lithium<\/span>","<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Vulcan Energy<\/span>"]}},"comment_count":"0","relative_dates":{"created":"Posted 2 years ago","modified":"Updated 2 years ago"},"absolute_dates":{"created":"Posted on October 13, 2023","modified":"Updated on October 13, 2023"},"absolute_dates_time":{"created":"Posted on October 13, 2023 6:30 am","modified":"Updated on October 13, 2023 6:30 am"},"featured_img_caption":"","series_order":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/460092","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2084"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=460092"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/460092\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/493720"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=460092"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=460092"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=460092"},{"taxonomy":"location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/location?post=460092"},{"taxonomy":"article_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article_type?post=460092"},{"taxonomy":"serie","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/serie?post=460092"},{"taxonomy":"archives","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/archives?post=460092"},{"taxonomy":"internal_archives","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal_archives?post=460092"},{"taxonomy":"reboot-archive","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/reboot-archive?post=460092"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}