Hell’s Kitchen: Can Lithium & Geothermal Power Thrive In The Salton Sea? - CleanTechnica

The Hell’s Kitchen project in Imperial County, California, spearheaded by Controlled Thermal Resources, aims to simultaneously generate geothermal electricity and extract lithium from geothermal brine in the Salton Sea region. The initial phase targets producing 25,000 tons per year of battery-grade lithium hydroxide monohydrate alongside approximately 50 MW of electricity. This project is notable for leveraging the unique geothermal and mineral-rich brines of the Salton Sea, one of the few U.S. locations with sufficient heat and lithium concentrations (150-250 mg/L) to support such integrated operations. The project has received special federal permitting and secured investments and off-take agreements with major automakers, highlighting its strategic importance in clean energy and critical mineral supply chains. The Salton Sea itself is a complex ecological and social environment, formed accidentally in 1905 and now facing environmental challenges such as increasing salinity, shrinking shorelines, and air quality issues from exposed playa dust. The brines are chemically challenging due to high