Siemens and Vulcan Energy Launch Partnership: Lionheart Project to Advance Sustainable Lithium Production and Energy Transition in Europe
Munich (Germany) - Siemens and Vulcan Energy are joining forces to establish Europe’s first integrated lithium and renewable energy production system with the Lionheart project in the Upper Rhine Valley. The aim is to ensure a sustainable supply for the battery industry and reduce dependence on imports of critical raw materials for electric mobility.
Siemens and Vulcan Energy drive Europe’s integrated lithium production
Siemens and Vulcan Energy have entered into a strategic partnership to realize Europe’s first fully integrated lithium and renewable energy project at industrial scale. At its core is the Lionheart project in the Upper Rhine Valley. The initiative has been classified as a strategic project under the EU Critical Raw Materials Act and supports the goal of European raw material independence.
Both companies have signed a framework agreement and a memorandum of understanding that designates Siemens as the preferred supplier of automation and digitalization technologies until 2035.
“As both a strategic investor and a key technology partner, we are helping Vulcan Energy establish Europe’s first major sustainable source of lithium,” said Roland Busch, CEO of Siemens AG. “With our technology - from advanced automation and digitalization to smart building solutions - we help to ramp-up production faster.”
The project combines raw material extraction with geothermal energy generation in an integrated approach. In addition to lithium production, the use of geothermal energy plays a central role in the project’s economic viability and sustainability.
Lionheart: integrated lithium and energy project
Vulcan Energy’s Lionheart project is designed for an annual production capacity of around 24,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide monohydrate. This volume is sufficient for roughly 500,000 electric vehicle batteries per year. In addition, the project is expected to supply about 275 GWh of renewable electricity and approximately 560 GWh of heat annually, benefiting local consumers.
The project is planned to run for approximately 30 years and includes multiple sites in the Upper Rhine Valley as well as in the Frankfurt region. Siemens will deliver a comprehensive technology package covering automation, digitalization, and infrastructure solutions. This includes systems from the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio such as digital twins, industrial control systems, analytics, cybersecurity, and connected network technologies.
These technologies are intended to enable end-to-end process control - from raw material extraction to industrial processing. The portfolio is complemented by intelligent building solutions designed to optimize energy use and operations.
Vulcan CEO Cris Moreno emphasized the strategic importance of the collaboration: “This partnership is an important step in unlocking future opportunities for growth, as we progress toward our goal of decarbonizing Europe’s battery supply chain.”
Financing, industrial partnership, and european raw materials strategy
In addition to technological collaboration, financing plays a central role in the project. Siemens Financial Services (SFS) will become a minority investor in a strategic consortium upon completion of the transaction. This consortium includes HOCHTIEF and Demea Sustainable Investment. Furthermore, the Danish Export and Investment Fund (EIFO) has been included as an international financing partner in the debt consortium.
This strengthens Siemens’ role not only as a technology provider but also as a long-term strategic investor in the European raw materials and energy sector. The consortium structure highlights the project’s industrial breadth and the involvement of international financing partners.
Lionheart has also been designated a strategic project under the EU Critical Raw Materials Act, contributing to increased European raw material independence and improved supply security for electric mobility.
The partnership between Siemens and Vulcan Energy is thus seen as an example of integrating industry, energy, and digitalization in Europe’s transition toward a climate-neutral economy.
Construction of two production facilities planned
As part of the Lionheart project, two production facilities are planned: a combined geothermal and lithium extraction plant (G-LEP) for lithium and renewable energy production in Landau, and a central lithium plant (CLP) for further processing in Frankfurt-Höchst. Additional deep geothermal drilling is planned in the Landau region, supported by key infrastructure such as pipelines and a substation.
Moreno added: “As a flagship project for Europe, Lionheart will shape the future of lithium production and establish Europe’s first fully domestic and sustainable value chain for this raw material. In addition, Vulcan will provide a sustainable and baseload-capable source of renewable energy for local communities and industry in the Upper Rhine Graben.”
Source: IWR Online, 24 Apr 2026
