Vulcan Energy Resources Ltd has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Pfalzwerke geofuture GmbH, part of the German utility and international energy provider Pfalzwerke Group.
The MoU constitutes an initial collaboration period, during which Pfalzwerke geofuture will supply live brine and well data from its operational geothermal power plant for Vulcan to use in its pre-feasibility study (PFS).
The Insheim plant is currently pumping lithium-rich brine to the surface for energy generation, but not processing and extracting the lithium, before the brine is reinjected into the reservoir. The Insheim plant operates with a thermal water temperature of 165oC, producing a maximum of 4.8 MWe power and 10 MWth thermal energy.
As part of this DFS, Vulcan will construct and implement a demonstration plant at Insheim. Following completion of the DFS, Pfalzwerke geofuture can then choose to co-contribute to the construction of a commercial-scale lithium plant on site, or dilute interest to a royalty on lithium production.
