The Ministry of Environment and Energy Security (MASE) of Italy recently held a conference and strategic workshop that focused on the market for lithium extraction from geothermal brine. The event, “Extraction of lithium from geothermal brine: potential and future challenges,” was held in Rome and brought together representatives of companies operating in the sector including ENEL Green Power, Steam, Turboden, IREN/Altamin and research bodies such as the National Research Council (CNR) and RSE.
The workshop addressed the integrated supply chain for producing low-carbon lithium in conjunction with geothermal energy production, from policy-making at various governmental levels to scientific research and the challenges faced by public and private sectors. This initiative is crucial for championing local solutions to achieve a zero-carbon future.
“From this conference emerges the interest of many stakeholders in the geothermal sector, its potential and the future challenges it poses,” said Director Barbaro. “As a ministry, we are committed to keeping the discussion active and open, aware of the need for further focus also on other raw materials, beyond lithium, whose potential in Italy needs to be assessed”.
The first part of the conference focused on the legal aspects of the geothermal sector with particular reference to the European Regulation on Critical Raw Materials which came into force in May 2024 and the recently issued Critical Raw Materials Legislative Decree, in order to adapt the national legislation on the mining sector to the European objectives and standards set out in the aforementioned regulation, with a view to digital and green transition.
Both the National Council of Geologists and the Italian Geothermal Union expressed their recommendations and hopes for a regulatory innovation that will serve this sector.
The second part of the meeting was dedicated to the technical presentations of companies involved in lithium extraction or interested in them at a research and development level. Some technologies were presented, partly consolidated and partly under development, whose application could bring benefits in terms of environment and energy efficiency. Major Italian research companies are also currently engaged in studies related to exploiting the geothermal resources of Italy both for energy production and domestic production of lithium.
Lithium extraction can maximize the use of geothermal resources and provide, for example, essential lithium for batteries in the automotive industry. In the technological field, it is important to highlight the development of lithium production from geothermal brines through circular economy technologies.
Source: MASE, Greenreport.it, and Steam Srl
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