ABB will deliver full electrification for Vulcan Energy’s Lionheart Project, enabling large-scale renewable lithium production for Europe’s electric vehicle market.
Global electrification and automation specialist ABB has been awarded a major role in advancing Europe’s renewable lithium ambitions after being chosen to deliver the full electrical infrastructure for a flagship lithium project being developed by Vulcan Energy in Germany. The work relates to Phase One of the Lionheart development, located in the Upper Rhine Valley, a region with significant geothermal potential that underpins Vulcan Energy’s integrated renewable lithium production model.
The Lionheart Project is designed to combine renewable energy generation with lithium extraction and downstream processing. Once operational, the project will supply battery-grade lithium hydroxide monohydrate (LHM) to the European electric vehicle sector, supporting regional battery manufacturing and reducing reliance on imported raw materials. At full Phase One capacity, Lionheart is expected to produce approximately 24,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide monohydrate annually—sufficient to support the production of around 500,000 electric vehicles each year. In parallel, the integrated system will generate about 275 GWh of renewable electricity and 560 GWh of renewable heat, reinforcing the project’s low-carbon credentials.
Under three separate contracts with a combined value of €46 million, ABB will act as the main electrical contractor for the project. Its responsibilities span the entire electrical scope, including detailed design, engineering, manufacturing, testing, and final delivery of critical electrical systems. The contracts cover multiple facilities central to the Lionheart value chain, including the lithium extraction plant in Landau, the central lithium processing facility at Industriepark Höchst, as well as associated geothermal well sites distributed across the Upper Rhine Valley.
The electrification package encompasses high-, medium-, and low-voltage distribution systems, transformers, variable speed drives, uninterruptible power supplies, and advanced protection equipment. Together, these components will ensure a stable, reliable, and efficient supply of electricity, distributing power seamlessly from the regional 110 kV grid down to individual process units and building-level operations. This robust electrical backbone is essential to maintaining continuous production and meeting the stringent quality requirements for battery-grade lithium products.
The latest contracts build on a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two companies in April 2024. That agreement aimed to simplify engineering workflows and strengthen project execution by aligning design optimization, supply-chain coordination, and cost performance. By formalizing this collaboration, the partners are laying the groundwork for what is expected to become Europe’s first fully integrated renewable lithium operation.
Senior executives from both sides emphasized the broader strategic importance of the project. ABB highlighted Lionheart as a model for how clean energy systems and advanced electrification can be combined to strengthen Europe’s battery materials supply chain at a time of rapidly growing electric vehicle demand. Vulcan Energy, meanwhile, underlined the importance of reliable, scalable electrical systems in enabling industrial-scale lithium production while keeping emissions low and supporting supply chain decarbonization.
The execution of these contracts is also a key condition for project financing. Vulcan Energy has indicated that it is targeting financial close, along with the completion of additional project and financing agreements, in the fourth quarter of 2025. Once finalized, the Lionheart Project is expected to play a pivotal role in supporting Europe’s transition to clean mobility through locally produced, low-carbon lithium.
