Boost
We are shaping the future of energy and raw materials
We are shaping the future of energy and raw materials
Tapping into new energy sources and developing innovative solutions is our boost for a sustainable energy future. Because change is an opportunity, and we want to embrace it. For example, through the environmentally friendly extraction of lithium from brine. With our technical expertise and existing infrastructure, we are creating the conditions for a reliable supply of energy and raw materials - and strengthening Germany's independence in the area of critical resources. For us, Boost means progress and transformation. We are already contributing our expertise and experience today to produce the energy and raw materials of tomorrow.
The courage to change
The production of gas and oil in Germany will be with us for many years to come. Nevertheless, it is important to look at the possibilities of tomorrow today. Because the energy world around us is changing. And so are we. We are part of this change and will play an active role in shaping the transformation towards the energies of the future. This requires the courage to change. Our experience in mining with the associated knowledge of the subsurface is paving the way for new technologies.
Recognising what is important tomorrow
The extraction of raw materials in Germany remains a strategically important issue. We are focussing on the extraction of domestic lithium. We are focussing on the extraction of lithium from deep waters using Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) technology. Lithium is an indispensable raw material for the energy transition, particularly for the production of batteries in electric vehicles and for storing renewable energy. Europe is striving to reduce its dependence on critical raw material imports, as over 80 per cent of the world's lithium currently comes from a few countries such as Australia, Chile and China.
We are also examining further processes in the field of new energy based on our subsurface expertise. In the future, we see particular potential for Neptune Energy in the field of deep geothermal energy and carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) technology. Depending on energy policy developments in Germany, these technologies could provide solutions to the challenges of the energy transition in the future: lithium secures the supply of raw materials for sustainable energy systems, geothermal energy provides independent, reliable energy that can cover base load demand and CCUS addresses the resulting and unavoidable CO₂ emissions.
In focus: Lithium extraction in the Altmark
The Altmark region of Saxony-Anhalt is set to become a hub for domestic lithium production, with Neptune Energy currently testing various direct lithium extraction (DLE) technologies in pilot projects. The pilot phase will be followed by a demonstration phase in which the use of an extraction plant will be trialled as the next step on the way to commercial production.
The Altmark is one of the largest project-related lithium deposits in the world. According to current calculations, the potential of the resource is around 43 million tonnes of lithium carbonate. If commercial production is successful, up to 25,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate could be extracted annually - enough to supply around 500,000 electric cars with battery material per year.