Double the Value - How Geothermal Plants Can Unlock Dual Revenue
Unlock new revenue streams by turning geothermal brine into lithium - and profits.
From Power to Potential - A Hidden Opportunity Beneath Our Feet
In a quiet Nevada valley, a geothermal plant operator stood at the edge of the facility, watching steam rise from the ground like it had for decades. Beneath their feet, superheated brine coursed through the Earth's crust, spinning turbines, generating clean electricity, and keeping nearby towns lit.
But something had changed.
The soaring demand for lithium, driven by EVs, battery storage, and the global push for net zero, was shedding new light on an old heat source. Researchers found that geothermal brine, the same fluid used to produce geothermal energy, could be rich in lithium. Suddenly, this wasn't just a power plant - it was a potential goldmine.
The operator pulled out their phone, opened the calculator app, and ran some quick numbers. Electricity revenue? Still solid. But lithium? That could be worth a lot - a dual-revenue stream hiding in plain sight.
Today, geothermal plants worldwide are asking the same question: What if we could generate clean power and extract critical minerals from the same well?
Current State of Geothermal Economics
In 2024, global electricity demand surged by 4.3%, far outpacing GDP growth at 3.2%. This was one of the largest annual increases outside of post-crisis rebounds. Electrification, industrial development, and the rise of AI and data centers are fueling this trend, and it’s not slowing down.
Geothermal energy, known for its reliability and low emissions, remains a vital part of the clean energy puzzle. But despite its strengths, it still accounts for only a modest share of global electricity generation.
Why? Because the economics, especially for new projects, have historically been tough. Geothermal development requires a significant upfront investment, with drilling alone accounting for as much as 50% of total costs. Subsurface risk and long payback periods have made it harder to compete with more modular and lower-cost technologies, such as solar PV, which accounted for nearly 80% of the 700 GW of new renewable capacity added in 2024.
Even many existing geothermal plants face mounting pressure: aging infrastructure, plateauing revenues, and rising expectations for performance and profitability in a competitive energy market.
But that’s starting to change.
Thanks to advances in lithium recovery technology, geothermal operators - whether they’re building new sites or running decades-old plants - can now unlock a second, high-value revenue stream. Many geothermal reservoirs contain lithium-rich brines, a byproduct of energy production that’s typically discarded. With the right technology, that brine becomes an opportunity - one that doesn’t interfere with power generation.
This marks a new chapter for geothermal energy: dual-revenue operations that produce clean power and one of the world’s most critical minerals.
It’s not just about staying competitive - it’s about tapping into the full potential of the resources you already manage.
Geothermal energy has always been undervalued - not for what it lacks, but for what we haven't yet unlocked.
Lithium - A Second Revenue Stream?
The global race for lithium is officially underway - and geothermal plants may hold one of the cleanest, most overlooked sources of it.
Lithium is essential to modern life. It powers everything from electric vehicles and smartphones to grid-scale energy storage. As governments and automakers push for decarbonization, the demand for lithium is skyrocketing. In fact, global demand is expected to increase 6.5x by 2034 compared to 2023 levels.
That demand has exposed a problem: traditional lithium mining is slow, water-intensive, and environmentally controversial. Hard rock mining and large-scale evaporation ponds come with high carbon footprints, significant land use, and lengthy development timelines, often taking 5–15 years from discovery to production.
Geothermal brine offers a smarter path.
Already flowing through geothermal plants for power generation, this superheated fluid can contain significant concentrations of dissolved lithium - sometimes 100–400 mg/L or more, depending on the geology. This resource is already being pumped, is already on site, and is often reinjected without extracting its full potential.
With advanced lithium recovery technology, geothermal energy companies can now turn this underutilized byproduct into a second source of revenue.
The best part? It doesn’t require stopping or even slowing down power generation. The extraction process runs in parallel with energy production, opening up an entirely new business case for both existing and future geothermal operations.
This isn’t just a sustainability play - it’s a profit multiplier.
And lithium is only the beginning.
Geothermal brines can also contain other valuable and critical minerals, such as magnesium, zinc, boron, and rare earth elements. While lithium recovery is currently the most commercially mature, future technologies will unlock additional revenue streams from the same brine, turning geothermal plants into full-scale mineral recovery hubs.
Proven Tech. Real Results. No Disruption.
Let’s clear something up - this isn’t science fiction. The technology to extract lithium from geothermal brine is here, and it’s already working.
Thanks to breakthroughs in Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) and decades of industrial water treatment expertise, it’s now possible to isolate lithium from hot, mineral-rich brine without interrupting power production. The lithium recovery system is installed alongside your existing geothermal setup and runs in parallel. There is no need to shut down turbines or modify your plant.
The process is:
- Closed-loop - minimal environmental impact
- Scalable, modular design makes it easy to expand
- Fast to deploy - no multi-year permitting like traditional mining
Even better? Partners like Lithium Harvest offer a fully managed “Design, Build, Own, and Operate” (DBOO) model. We build and run the lithium extraction system - you unlock a new revenue stream without the operational hassle.
What used to be a reinjected byproduct is now a profit-driving asset.
From Power to Profit - Your Next Strategic Move
As global lithium demand soars and energy markets shift, geothermal operators are uniquely positioned to seize a rare opportunity - a single resource delivering two revenue streams.
Whether you're running an existing facility or developing a new one, recovering lithium from geothermal brine can unlock hidden value and put your operation at the forefront of the clean energy transition. With the right technology, it's no longer just about generating power - it's about becoming a key player in the future of energy and mobility.
At Lithium Harvest, we manage the entire lithium recovery process for you - from design and deployment to daily operations and system optimization. You focus on generating power. We'll turn your brine into profit.
Wondering what dual revenue could look like at your site? Let's find out together.
Geothermal Brine Extraction
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