Visit with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz

Projects

Tour the hydrogen infrastructure at Industriepark Höchst

from left to right: Managing Director Tim Böltken (INERATEC), Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Managing Director (Infraserv Höchst) Joachim Kreysing in front of the biogas supply station at the "Industriepark Höchst".
from left to right: Managing Director Tim Böltken (INERATEC), Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Managing Director (Infraserv Höchst) Joachim Kreysing in front of the biogas supply station at the "Industriepark Höchst".

On Tuesday, August 9, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Industriepark Höchst in Frankfurt am Main and learned about the development of hydrogen technology from Infraserv Höchst, the site operator. During the tour of the 4.6-square-kilometer industrial park, Infraserv Managing Director Dr. Joachim Kreysing showed the chancellor, among other things, the first hydrogen refueling station for passenger trains in Hesse, which Infraserv Höchst is currently building and where, starting at the end of the year, the world's largest fleet of fuel-cell trains will be refueled. Starting in late 2022, the Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund will operate 27 hydrogen-powered regional trains that will be refueled at Industriepark Höchst. Another key topic were the activities of the company Ineratec, that is planning to build a power-to-liquid plant in Industriepark Höchst.

 

"Sustainable energy supply with hydrogen"

"We will drive hydrogen technology forward at speed and also use it for various forms of mobility, in terms of sustainability, but also to become more independent in terms of energy supply," said the Chancellor. "Here at Industriepark Höchst, you can see that we are not talking about tomorrow's technology. Hydrogen use is already a reality here. "

Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Managing Director Tim Böltken discussing the samples of sustainable e-Fuel.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Managing Director Tim Böltken discussing the samples of sustainable e-Fuel.

New production plant for synthetic kerosene

Dr. Tim Böltken, Managing Director of Ineratec GmbH, presented the power-to-liquid project being implemented at Industriepark Höchst. Starting in 2023, up to 3,500 metric tons of synthetic kerosene and chemical feedstocks will be produced here each year, with Ineratec using Industriepark Höchst's technically sophisticated infrastructure. At the pioneering plant, the company will use the biogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) generated at the site to produce the synthetic fuels, known as "e-fuels." "As a substitute for fuels and chemicals of fossil origin, these enable the realization of climate-neutral mobility concepts, especially for aviation and shipping," explained Dr. Tim Böltken.

 

Chemical industry as innovation driver

Infraserv Managing Director Dr. Joachim Kreysing informed the Chancellor about the hydrogen hub in Industriepark Höchst, which produces some 50 million cubic meters of hydrogen a year. "The chemical industry has always been a driver of innovation and will also be instrumental in developing sustainable solutions for the energy supply of the future," said Dr. Kreysing, who in this context stressed the importance of connecting the Rhine-Main region to the planned transnational hydrogen pipeline network. "The pressing questions about energy supply and mobility concepts of the future will also only be answered with the help of the chemical industry. "