Trostberg--Alzchem is taking a new approach to climate protection and efficiency at its Trostberg site: a new pipeline has recently been installed to transport surplus hydrogen, which is used as an emission-free energy source at the plant for clean combustion processes.

Hydrogen replaces natural gas as a fuel

No longer emitting, but utilising: Hydrogen is produced as a by-product in a production plant. This has recently been collected and fed to the waste gas incineration plant as fuel via a 500 metre long pipeline. The continuous supply of hydrogen provides thermal power. The energy obtained is then used to incinerate waste gases and waste water from other plants and replaces the natural gas previously used as fuel. Only a small amount of the fossil fuel remains required for operation as a safety backup flame. The pipeline, which took a year to build, has been successfully in operation since 21 October 2024.

Saving 1,000 tonnes of CO? per year

Alzchem is thus fulfilling another measure of its climate roadmap, the medium-term goal of which is to make the company CO2-neutral by 2033. The new pipeline will enable Alzchem to save around 1,000 tonnes of CO? per year. In addition, dispensing with natural gas will also lead to welcoming cost savings.

“The utilization of hydrogen from our own source makes an important contribution to the CO? reduction of our company. Alzchem is thus setting a strong example for sustainable industrial processes and demonstrating how ecological and economic benefits can be achieved through innovative energy use and technological optimization,” explains Klaus Englmaier, COO of the Alzchem Group.