![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/lith.jpg\")
Image courtesy of the European Investment Bank<\/p>\nImage courtesy of the European Investment Bank<\/p>\n
\nGermany\u2019s Hochtief and its fellow ACS subsidiary Sedgman, a mineral processing company, will be the engineering, procurement and construction management contractor for the \u20ac2bn \u201cLionheart\u201d lithium extraction scheme in Germany.\n<\/p>\n
Developed by Vulcan Energy, Lionheart will extract lithium chloride from mineral-rich geothermal brine buried in large deposits under Germany\u2019s Upper Rhine Valley, and convert it to lithium hydroxide monohydrate for use in electric vehicle batteries.<\/p>\n
At the same time, the facility will provide renewable heat to municipal energy provider EnergieS\u00fcdwest for the district heating system in the town of Landau.<\/p>\n
Vulcan began extracting lithium chloride from wells at the site in 2024. The Lionheart scheme will scale the operation up so that, in its first phase, it can produce 24,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide monohydrate a year, enough to power 500,000 electric vehicles.<\/p>\n
By 2030, the facility is predicted to provide 12% of Europe\u2019s projected demand for lithium hydroxide, used to make batteries and in manufacturing.<\/p>\n
Work on the project\u2019s first phase is due to take two and a half years, with production expected to begin in 2028.<\/p>\n
Hochtief and Sedgman will build a \u20ac397m lithium extraction plant and a \u20ac337m central lithium plant.<\/p>\n
Hochtief will also invest \u20ac169m in Vulcan Energy: \u20ac39m in Lionheart and \u20ac130m in Vulcan shares.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Lionheart Project is a flagship initiative for Europe\u2019s clean energy future\u2014combining lithium production with renewable energy generation,\u201d said<\/a> Juan Santamar\u00eda, Hoctief chief executive.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is a strategic, high-impact project that aligns with our Group\u2019s global capabilities in energy infrastructure.\u201d<\/p>\n The European Investment Bank (EIB) will lend Lionheart \u20ac250m.<\/p>\n Funding is also coming from German state and federal governments, commercial parties such as BNP Paribas, ING, Unicredit and export credit agencies from Australia, Canada, Denmark, France and Italy.<\/p>\n Cris Moreno, Vulcan Energy\u2019s managing director, said<\/a>: \u201cThe EIB\u2019s participation underlines the significance of developing a European, sustainable lithium supply chain while supporting local innovation, employment, and a carbon-neutral future.\u201d<\/p>\n