Starting signal for innovative energy supply project by thyssenkrupp Steel, E.ON and König-Brauerei

Three long-established companies on the Rhine and Ruhr have officially launched a pioneering energy supply project for greater climate protection: Industrial waste heat from thyssenkrupp Steel's steel production now flows through a new steam transfer pipeline built and operated by E.ON into the König brewery, where it supplies thermal energy for the brewery's processes.

Thanks to the joint project, the brewery is reducing its annual CO2 emissions by up to 75 per cent, depending on capacity utilisation. All beer production processes that require energy in the form of heat are now emission-free. This has been confirmed by an independent report from the University of Duisburg-Essen. "Thanks to this innovative partnership, König-Brauerei is less dependent on fossil fuels and is becoming one of the most sustainable breweries in Germany," says Jan Niewodniczanski, Managing Director Technology and Environment of the Bitburger Brewery Group, to which König-Brauerei has belonged since 2007. Guido Christiani, Technical Managing Director of König-Brauerei, adds: "We are proud to have successfully realised this project after more than five years of intensive coordination and project work. Our new steam supply is a prime example of the heat turnaround and represents a truly unique selling point for our site."

Waste heat from steel production
The waste heat comes from the integrated energy network of thyssenkrupp Steel Europe AG, which the company operates to efficiently utilise the waste heat generated. Steam from the waste heat-generating steel and cogeneration plants is fed into the associated pipework network. Some of this now flows through the newly constructed pipeline to the König brewery. A new steam heat exchanger uses the energy supplied to generate fresh steam for the brewing processes, which is fed into the brewery's existing steam network.

Climate protection in good neighbourhood
As an energy partner, E.ON built the entire pipeline infrastructure and the steam heat exchanger and will also be responsible for energy management in future. Marc Spieker, Board Member for Customer Solutions at E.ON: "We are delighted to be commissioning this pioneering project for the Ruhr region and beyond together with our partners today. It is a wonderful example of how the heat transition can be successfully organised. Here at the König brewery in Duisburg, we are demonstrating this on an industrial scale."

"The entire project is proof of how companies can effectively promote local climate protection in good neighbourly relations. This innovative joint project not only helps the climate. The three companies involved also benefit," emphasises Wolfgang Wiese, Head of Power Plants and Energy Control at thyssenkrupp Steel. The project was also able to impress as part of its participation in the federal funding competition for energy and resource efficiency in industry, in which it achieved the best result of all participants.