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More geothermal lithium projects identified as Strategic Projects by the European Commission

12 October 2026  Carlo Cariaga

https://www.thinkgeoenergy.com/more-geothermal-lithium-projects-ide...

Two projects aiming to extract lithium from geothermal brine in France and Germany have been identified as Strategic Projects by the European Commission.

Two projects that seek to extract lithium from geothermal brine have been classified as “Strategic Projects” under the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) by the European Commission. Aside from validating the importance of the projects, the classification also provides support for access to finance and shorter permitting timeframes.

The two projects are as follows:

• The Lithium de France project in Alsace, France, and;
• the Neptune Energy project in Altmark, Germany

Both projects seek to produce battery-grade lithium compounds using lithium extracted from naturally occurring subsurface brine. Similar projects by Vulcan Energy in Germany and Eramet in France have previously been granted the same distinction.

The Lithium de France project is targeting a production capacity of 27,000 tonnes per year of lithium annually over 30 years, with the co-production of 2 TWh of geothermal heat. The company has already completed the drilling and testing of its first well.

The Neptune Energy project is a little different, as it aims to utilize brine from existing natural gas wells at the Altmark natural gas field. By 2030, the company is targeting to produce up to 25,000 tonnes of lithium carbon equivalent (LCE) annually. There is currently no indication that the brine will be used to supply any heat. The most recent update from the company indicates that it has now entered the pilot testing phase.

The CRMA sets key targets for 2030, notably aiming for 10% of the EU’s annual consumption of strategic raw materials to be extracted within Europe and 40% to be processed in Europe.  Both projects have the potential to contribute to these objectives by helping to develop a competitive and sustainable European battery value chain.

“This European recognition under the Critical Raw Materials Act, combined with our Notre Dame project status, confirms the essential role of lithium in strengthening Europe’s industrial sovereignty, at a time when demand driven by electrification and energy storage is set to grow at an unprecedented pace over the coming decades. Arverne provides a unique response to this challenge by combining the production of battery-grade lithium with renewable geothermal heat,” said Pierre Brossollet, Founder and Chairman & CEO of Arverne, the parent company of Lithium de France.

“Europe’s competitiveness is not determined by individual raw material projects, but by the interaction over the entire value chain,” said Axel Wenke, Director of New Energy at Neptune Energy. “Our aim is to be part of a regional value chain that extends from the raw material itself, its processing, the manufacture of battery components right through to recycling.”