The mining permits pertain to an area that largely coincides with the already developed Altmark natural gas field. In the context of natural gas production, Neptune Energy has already collected a lot of knowledge in the site that will help in the production of lithium and geothermal energy. “We can now use our technical know-how to make the energy transition possible,” commented Dr. Andreas Scheck, Managing Director of Neptune Energy.
The Hanover-based company and its predecessor companies has been producing natural gas in the Altmark site for 55 years. The occurrence of lithium in the deep water of the field is already proven, so that no further exploration phase will be needed.
“The Altmark will in the future become a green energy region and the location of future-oriented technology,” Scheck further added.
With the laboratory phase of the project completed, Neptune Energy is moving to the pilot project phase very quickly. The demonstration phase is planned for 2026 with full production targeted by 2028.
Neptune Energy has also applied for three additional exploration permits for lithium and geothermal energy from the state office. These news areas border the current approved area and extend beyond the Altmark district of Salzwedel and into the Stendal and Börde districts. Neptune Energy also sees great exploration potential in this region.
There are a few other efforts to extract lithium from geothermal brine in Germany, the most well-known of which is the operations of Vulcan Energy in Landau. In Bruchsal, EnBW and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology has another pilot project for geothermal lithium extraction.
At the beginning of 2024, a team of specialists in Neptune Energy started work to explore new, future-oriented business areas. “We are examining numerous options to develop interesting projects outside of oil and gas production. What is important is that there is a connection to our core competencies in the technical area. I am pleased that we in the Altmark have now taken a big step forward when it comes to the energy transition,” said Dr. Axel Wenke, Director of New Energy at Neptune
