Award Number: DE-EE0006982CX(s) Applied: A9, A11, B5.15Weatherization & Intergovernmental Programs OfficeLocation(s): CAOffice(s): Gol
Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance
August 10, 2017
Estimated Read Time min
Well to Wheels Lithium Design
Award Number: DE-EE0006982
CX(s) Applied: A9, A11, B5.15
Weatherization & Intergovernmental Programs Office
Location(s): CA
Office(s): Golden Field Office
The U.S. Department of Energy is proposing to provide funding to the California Energy Commission to complete engineering and design, and cost estimating, for implementation of a temporary lithium recovery and production system at the John L. Featherstone Plant (geothermal plant) in Calipatria, CA. Once the project is completed, a public outreach effort would be developed to educate the public on the results and benefits of the project.
The proposed project activities include creating an engineering design for lithium extraction and based on those plans, connect the geothermal plant at the brine supply line to existing lithium test equipment (pilot facility) which is on a mobile trailer. The connection would be done by inserting a valve on the brine supply line upstream of the injection pumps. The pilot facility would operate for up to four weeks to provide evidence that the engineering design could successfully extract lithium from the brine. Once completed, the lithium test equipment would be moved offsite or into storage. No other construction would be a part of this project. The project would not alter the capacity, use, mission or operation of the existing facility. All residual material from the test facility would re-enter the commercial geothermal plant process and no waste is expected to be generated. All hazardous materials would be handled in accordance with federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations.