Siemens and Vulcan Energy: The Automation Backbone of Europe's Geothermal Lithium Revolution By Alphaxioms Geothermal Insights | April 2026 On 20 April 2026, Vulcan Energy Resources (ASX: VUL, FSE: VUL) announced the signing of a circa €40 million framework agreement with Siemens AG, appointing the German industrial giant as Main Automation Contractor (MAC) for its flagship Lionheart Project in Germany's Upper Rhine Valley. This announcement, which Vulcan describes as the final major supply agreement for Lionheart, deserves far more analytical attention than a routine procurement notice. It is, in fact, a milestone that illuminates the trajectory of geothermal energy as an industrial foundation not merely a power source and carries instructive lessons for geothermal developers across every active rift zone on the planet, including the East African Rift Valley. What Lionheart Actually Is To understand the significance of the Siemens agreement, one must first appreciate what the...
SCAN Drilling Campaign Completed: Unlocking Geothermal Potential Across the Netherlands The completion of the SCAN drilling campaign marks a defining moment in the Netherlands’ journey toward a cleaner, more sustainable energy future. Spanning over two years—from October 2023 to December 2025—the ambitious program delivered eight strategically placed exploratory wells across the country. What began as a mission to better understand the Dutch subsurface has now evolved into a cornerstone for the next generation of geothermal energy development. This campaign was never just about drilling wells. It was about answering one fundamental question: where, and to what extent, can geothermal energy be harnessed effectively in the Netherlands? With the operational phase now complete, the results are not only promising but transformative, offering clarity where uncertainty once dominated. A Nationwide Effort to Decode the Subsurface The SCAN program covered approximately half of the Netherla...