Occidental and BHE Renewables have partnered to create a joint venture that focuses on showcasing and implementing TerraLithium’s direct lithium extraction (DLE) technologies. These technologies are designed to extract high-purity lithium compounds from geothermal brine on a commercial scale.
TerraLithium, a subsidiary of Occidental, owns patents for DLE technologies that can process any lithium-containing brine into high-purity lithium. BHE Renewables currently operates 10 geothermal power plants in California’s Imperial Valley, where significant amounts of brine are processed to generate energy. The joint venture has begun work at one of BHE Renewables’ geothermal plants in the Imperial Valley to demonstrate the effectiveness and environmental safety of using TerraLithium’s DLE technology for lithium production.
If successful, BHE Renewables intends to construct, own, and operate commercial lithium production plants in California’s Imperial Valley. Additionally, the joint venture plans to license the technology and establish commercial lithium production facilities beyond the Imperial Valley.
Richard Jackson, President of US Onshore Resources and Carbon Management Operations at Occidental, emphasized the expertise of both companies in managing brine and geothermal operations, making them well-equipped to advance sustainable lithium production methods. Lithium is a critical component in various industries, including electric vehicles, consumer electronics, and energy grid storage as well as in the production of glass, ceramics
