ABB to deliver electrical infrastructure for Vulcan Energy’s Phase One Lionheart project
ABB has been selected by Vulcan Energy to deliver the complete electrical infrastructure for the Phase One Lionheart project in the Upper Rhine Valley of Germany.
Combining renewable energy generation with lithium extraction and processing, the development will generate battery-quality lithium hydroxide monohydrate (LHM) for the European electric vehicle market.
Lionheart will have the capacity to produce 24,000 t/y of lithium hydroxide monohydrate, enough for around 500,000 electric vehicles per annum, in addition to 275 GWh of power and 560 GWh of heat.
Under three contracts totaling €46 million ($54 million), ABB will serve as the main electrical contractor for the Lionheart project, responsible for the design, engineering, manufacture, testing and delivery of electrical systems.
The contracts cover ABB technology powering the Lithium Extraction Plant in Landau, the Central Lithium Plant in Frankfurt’s Industriepark Höchst and the surrounding well sites. This includes the full electrification scope from ABB’s high-, medium- and MNS® low-voltage switchgear and transformers to drives, uninterruptible power supplies and protection equipment. Together, these systems will provide a stable, efficient flow of electricity from the 110 kV grid through to each process and building-level operation, ABB says.
This appointment builds on a Memorandum of Understanding the two companies signed in April 2024 to streamline engineering and strengthen project delivery by optimising design, supply and cost performance.
Under the contracts, the combination of ABB’s expertise in electrification and Vulcan Energy’s renewable lithium process will help to establish Europe’s first fully integrated renewable lithium operation, they claim.
Björn Jonsson, Global Business Line Manager, Mining & Materials, ABB’s Process Industries division, said: “The Lionheart Project is a blueprint for how clean energy and advanced electrification go hand in hand. We are building the foundations for a stronger European battery supply chain, helping to meet growing demand for electric vehicles at a crucial point in the transition to clean mobility.”
Cris Moreno, Managing Director and CEO at Vulcan Energy, added: “ABB’s expertise and systems give us the certainty to scale efficiently. Together, we are establishing a robust model for industrial lithium production to meet market momentum while enabling battery supply chain decarbonisation at scale. We are excited to advance our shared vision with ABB of a low-carbon future that’s powered by renewable energy and smart electrification.”
The signing of the contracts is a condition precedent to financing, which the company is targeting to finalise, together with additional project and financing agreements, soon.
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